THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 ^
 
 
 rf 
 
 >'

 
 MEMOIRS 
 
 OF 
 
 GEORGE WHITEHEAD; 
 
 A MimSTER OF THE GOSPEL 
 
 IN THE 
 
 SOCIETY OF FRIENDS: 
 
 BEING THE SUBSTANCE 
 
 Of the 
 
 ACCOUNT OF HIS LIFE, 
 
 WRITTEN BY HIMSELF, 
 
 And published after his decease, in the year 1725, 
 
 UNDER THE TITLE OF 
 
 ''Ws €iirfstian ^voQvess;'* 
 
 WITH 
 
 AN APPENDIX, 
 
 CONTAINING A SELECTION FROM HIS OTHER WORKS. 
 
 ALSO 
 INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 Bv SAMUEL TUKE. 
 
 IN TWO VOLS.— VOL. L 
 
 "If ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy ahd not 
 sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless." 
 
 I^htlatrelpftta : 
 
 NATHAN KITE— 64 WALNUT STREET. 
 
 1832.
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 ISXl 
 
 #•*>«» 
 
 The historical account which George Whitehead 
 has left of his own " Christian Progress," is so much in- 
 terwoven with the early history of the Religious Society 
 of Friends, that, independently of the instructive exhi- 
 bition which it affords of individual character, it has a 
 strong claim on the attention of those who now profess 
 the principles which he advocated so boldly, and for 
 which he suffered with so much constancy. 
 
 These Memoirs, indeed, contain more information 
 relative to the early proceedings of the Society, than 
 those of any other individual, except it be the life of 
 George Fox. Convinced when under age of the doc- 
 trines preached by that reformer, he became very soon 
 an active and zealous minister of the truths which he 
 had embraced, and continued for nearly seventy years 
 to labour by word and example in the support of them. 
 
 It has been the lot of few persons to occupy an active 
 sphere for so long a period of time as was the case with 
 George Whitehead. He was born in the reign of 
 Charles I. Under the Commonwealth, and in the reign 
 of Charles II., he suffered many severe persecutions. 
 He visited several times the court of Charles, to plead 
 with him on behalf of the cause of religious liberty. 
 These efforts were continued during the short reign of 
 James II. -, and during the reign of William and Mary, 
 when a brighter day dawned on the civil and religious
 
 VI PREFACE. 
 
 liberties of England, he exerted himself, by personal 
 and written representations, to obtain for the Society 
 the free exercise of religious worship, the liberation of 
 the mennbers who, chiefly for ecclesiastical demands, 
 were still suffering cruel imprisonments, and the admis- 
 sion of the affirmation of Friends instead of an oath in 
 all civil cases. 
 
 He had several interviews with George I., in which 
 he earnestly pleaded the great cause of religious liberty; 
 and having been introduced to (he young prince, after- 
 wards George II., he endeavoured to impress his mind 
 with the same important subject. He was thus during 
 the five reigns succeeding the Commonwealth, one of 
 the most strenuous advocates of our principles, and of 
 religious liberty in general ; and very frequently the 
 organ of the Society of Friends, at the court of the En- 
 glish monarchs. 
 
 To us who are enjoying those civil and religious pri- 
 vileges, which he was in so considerable a degree in- 
 strumental in obtaining, the account which he has 
 given of his proceedings, though it may at times be 
 charged with prolixity, can hardly fail to be interesting. 
 
 In this republication of George Whitehead's valua- 
 ble work, it has however been deemed best to present 
 many of the details in a curtailed or condensed form. 
 The curtailments are chiefly in the accounts of polemi- 
 cal discussions and law proceedings ; but several other 
 parts which appeared to be redundant, have been 
 omitted in this edition ; and where more than one ac- 
 count is given of the same transaction, that which 
 appeared the most complete has been selected, or the 
 substance of the whole has been re-written without 
 adhering to the author's words.
 
 PREFACE. Vll 
 
 The editor has also ventured in several cases to add 
 a few historical particulars, to make the work more 
 completely illustrative of the character of the Society, 
 and the state of the public mind at the period to which 
 it refers. The whole, notwithstanding the curtailments, 
 will give the reader a petty clear insight into the rise, 
 progress, and principles of the Society of Friends ; nor 
 will its details, the editor trusts, be found uninteresting 
 to the inquirer into the history of the civil and religious 
 liberties of England, as connected with that most im- 
 portant and interesting period of our annals which 
 these Memoirs embrace. 
 
 The present work was originally designed to have 
 been comprised in one volume, and it would no doubt 
 have been more agreeable to some readers in a more 
 condensed form ; but as an historical record, and with 
 a view of preserving the clear view which the original 
 memoirs frequently give of the varied engagements of 
 our early Friends, much greater curtailment than has 
 been made, did not, to the editor, seem desirable. He 
 is nevertheless far from imagining, that he has always 
 drawn the line exactly where it ought to have been, 
 and he cannot be much disappointed if he should have 
 failed to please his friends, since, on many occasions, 
 he has failed to please himself.* Leaving however his 
 own imperfections, he can safely recommend the peru- 
 sal of the work, to all those of the Society of Friends, 
 who feel an interest in the history of the Church to 
 which they belong. 
 
 * The editor wishes to acknowledge the advantage he has fre- 
 quently derived from the use of a copy of the " Christian Progress," 
 marked, with a view to a somewhat similar republication, by his 
 friend Edward Pease of Darlington.
 
 VUl PREFACE. 
 
 George Whitehead was a voluminous writer. Be- 
 sides his " Christian Progress " the editor has before him 
 no less than ninety tracts, some of them of a very con- 
 siderable length. They are chiefly controversial. 
 The earlier ones appear to have been written in much 
 haste ; and much cannot be said in favour either of 
 their general talent or temper. In both these respects, 
 the later productions are decidedly superior ; and 
 several of them contain clear and able refutations of 
 the charges with which Friends were then assailed. 
 As he grew in years, he evidently grew both in graces 
 and in gifts. There are among his tracts several 
 " Epistles to Friends," which mark deep Christian ex- , 
 perience and a truly pastoral care over the Society. 
 One of these, printed in the year 1689, is inserted at 
 the close of the work, and will be found well worthy of 
 perusal in the present day. The Appendix also con- 
 tains the last controversial work in which the author 
 appears to have been engaged, written in the year 
 1712 ; and an important document issued by the Soci- 
 ety in the year 1693, illustrative of its Christian 
 principles at that early period. There is considerable 
 reason to believe, that this declaration of Christian 
 faith was compiled by George Whitehead ; and its 
 insertion accords with the editor's design in the publi- 
 cation of this work, which is, the illustration of the 
 
 HISTOnV AND PRINCIPLES OF THE SoCIETY OF FrIENDS,
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 OF 
 
 VOLUME THE FIRST. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Introduction 13 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 George Whitehead's reasons for preparing his own memoirs. — 
 His account of his early life — and of his convincement of the doc- 
 trines of Friends. 31 
 
 SECTION II. 
 
 General prejudice against the principles of the new Society, — 
 His parents' views. — His own progress and experience, and a state- 
 ment of his principles and sentiments in regard to Christ as our 
 Sacrifice — as the Light of the world — Necessity of repentance. — 
 Value of the Holy Scriptures. — The New Covenant — Gospel min- 
 istry. 39 
 
 SECTION III. 
 His travels in Yorkshire. — Visits Lincoln, Cambridge, Norwich, 
 and Wymondhara. — Ranters. — Visits other places in Norfolk and 
 Suffolk. — Returns to Norwich. — Imprisoned there. — Proclamation 
 asserting liberty of conscience. — Further visits in Norfolk and Suf- 
 folk. 49 
 
 SECTION IV. 
 George Whitehead and others imprisoned in Edmunds'-Bury 
 gaol — released by order from the Protector. — Visits London, and 
 returns into Essex and Suffolk. — Cruelly whipped at Nayland, 
 when not twenty-one years of age. — Travels afterwards in Essex, 
 Suffolk, Huntingdonshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Glou- 
 cestershire, and Herefordshire till the middle of the year 1657. 83 
 
 SECTION V. 
 
 G. Whitehead travels in the counties of Nottingham, Derby, 
 Leicester, Warwick, and Stafford — and in the winter of 1657, in 
 Westmoreland, Durham, and Northumberland. — Returns by York 
 into the eastern counties. — An illness at Diss, 1658. — Imprisoned at 
 Ipswich. — Released on the death of Oliver Cromwell. — Meetings 
 at and about Ipswich. 101 
 
 SECTION VI. 
 Has many disputations in the years 1658 and 1659. — Account of 
 one atEmneth on seventeen points— At Cambridge with the keep-
 
 10 CONTENTS. 
 
 er of the university library — at Lynn, with the Moorcans or Uni- 
 versalists, on Christian perfection, Christ's body, &c. — A second 
 with the same people, succeoded by a written controversy. 113 
 
 SECTION VII. 
 
 Disputations with a Presbyterian minister at Lynn, on the Scrip- 
 tures, the resurrection of the body, the Trinity, &c. — with an Inde- 
 pendent minister at Pulham, on the Light of Christ. — Meets a 
 minister in the steeple-house at Huddenham. — A meeting at Pe- 
 terborough. — Goes to Oakham — Coggeshali — Bristol. 133 
 
 SECTION VIII. 
 Restoration of the monarchy. — King Charles's declaration for 
 liberty of conscience. — Remarks on his sincerity. — Fifth-monarchy 
 men. — Proclamation against conventicles, and consequent renewal 
 of persecution. — George Whitehead's imprisonment with others in 
 Norwich castle ; released by the king's proclamation. — Henry Ket- 
 tle formerly mayor of Xhetford. — Act of parliament respecting 
 Friends' refusal to take any oath. — The endeavours of Friends to 
 prevent the bill passing the House of Commons. 144 
 
 SECTION IX. 
 George Whitehead's own account of persecutions in London, in 
 1662 to 1664. — An act to prevent and suppress seditious conventi- 
 cles. — Persecution in London, 1665. — He vists the northern coun- 
 ties, &.C. and returns to London. — Remains there during the 
 plague. 170 
 
 SECTION X. 
 
 The Oxford five mile act. — George Whitehead addresses two 
 epistles to Friends during their trials. ^The great fire in London, 
 1666. — Friends continue their meetings. — George Whitehead con- 
 tinues principally in London — and marries in the year 1669. — In 
 1686 he lost his wife — and in 1608 married again. — The narrative 
 reverts to the fire in London. — A further act to prevent seditious 
 conventicles in 1670. 197 
 
 SECTION XI. 
 Occurrences 1G66 to 1670. — George Whitehead, in 1670, taken 
 from a meeting in Grace-church street. — The mayor ordersa {)riest 
 to read j)rayers and preach in Friends' meeting-house. — Other 
 meetings disturbed. — An order of court to prevent Friends meeting 
 at Plorslydown. — Proceedings thereupon. 210 
 
 SECTION XII. 
 
 Persecution continued with little abatement till the king's de- 
 claration in 1673. — George Whitehead successfully applies to the 
 king for the liberation of about four hundred of his Friends — He 
 travels with tlin king's Letters Patent under the Great Seal, to ob- 
 tain the discliarge of his Friends in Essex, Suff'olk, Huntingdon- 
 shire, Cambridgshire, Norfolk, and Hertfordshire. He consults 
 Judofe Hale on the release of Friends in the distant counties — Pro- 
 cures their release by means of the shcrifis' coming to London. 230
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 It may not perhaps be wholly useless, especially to 
 my young readers, to make a few introductory obser- 
 vations, which have been suggested in the compilation of 
 the present work, on the character and conduct of the 
 early Friends, and on the important subject of liberty of 
 conscience, the history of which, in this country, will be 
 found considerably illustrated in this Memoir. 
 
 The religious Society of Friends was originally an 
 association of persons earnestly seeking to obtain that 
 true knowledge of God and of Christ, which is life eter- 
 nal. JNIany of them were men esteemed in the several 
 religious professions to which they belonged, for their 
 practical experience and piety; yet notwithstanding 
 what (hey already knew, their consciences were not 
 satisfied, and they were led to believe, that a further 
 acquaintance with Divine teachings than they yet pos- 
 sessed was to be obtained. They felt that they needed 
 to know more of the work of regeneration, and of the 
 power of Christ to renew them into his own Image, than 
 they experienced under the various teachings and or- 
 dinances on which they had been led, in part at least, to 
 depend. 
 
 They were men whose minds were richly imbued 
 with Scripture truth, and not a few of them were very 
 conversant with the theological controversies of their 
 own and former days. Some of them, prior to the 
 preaching of George Fox, had separated themselves 
 from other communities and met together in a very 
 simple way, earnestly looking and praying for the 
 
 B
 
 14 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 fuller knowledge of redemption from sin, and of that 
 peace of mind which passeth all understanding. Whilst 
 thus seeking for Truth, already exposed to the reproach- 
 es of their self-satisfied friends, they were led to believe 
 that whilst they had dwelt much on the atonement of 
 Christ, they had not sutliciently dwelt on the operations 
 of that Holy Spirit and Comforter, who was to consum- 
 mate the Gospel, to guide into all truth, and by 
 tvhom, the apostle says, through Christ zve have access 
 to the Father. Of this Divine Communion they believed 
 they were made sensible partakers, . and in it they 
 found that consolation which they had long sought after 
 and prayed for. 
 
 As it was by sin that man lost the Divine Image and 
 excellence in which he was created, so they believed 
 the restoration by Christ to be equal to the loss by 
 Adam, and that he who /'//('/ embraced the Gospel 
 would be so guided into all truth, that sin might be 
 eifectually resisted and Christ followed. 
 
 These views of the operations of the Holy Spirit and 
 of the possibility of freedom from sin, I believe to have 
 been the foundation of what is called Quakerism ; and 
 they led to or were immediately connected with, a clear- 
 er view of the nature and spirituality of the Gospel 
 Dispensation — the extent of the apostacy from its sim- 
 plicity and purity — and the inconsistency therewith 
 of many practices which prevailed extensively in the 
 reformed Churches. When George Fox travelled into 
 various parts of England, calling men from all tradition- 
 al knowledge, by wliich in the days of the apostacy 
 Gospel truth had been overlaid, to the teachings of the 
 Holy Spirit, and showed the conformity of his views 
 with the Divine testimony of Scripture, he found many 
 prepared to receive the Truth which he proclaimed, as 
 the answer to their prayers and the direction of their 
 search. Though the embracing of these truths was 
 the occasion of obloquy and suffering, they were wel- 
 come to them as the dawning of tlie morning to the 
 mariner, after a long and stormy night.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 15 
 
 The office of the Holy Spirit or Di\ ine Light as the 
 Guide unto all Truth, became the great theme of their 
 contemplation and their preaching, as that doctrine 
 which being most fatal to satan's kingdom in men's 
 hearts, he had been most busy in perverting ; and which, 
 as it was most opposed to man's unholy nature, so it 
 was that which by nature he was most willing to have 
 concealed from his view. They did not, as was imputed 
 to them, set up this doctrine in opposition to that of the 
 atonement and mediation of Christ; but they warned 
 men against any dependence on Christ, without know- 
 ing Him to be formed in them and their hearts to be 
 brought into subjection to his Spirit. They did not, as 
 they were aspersed, set aside the Holy Scriptures, to 
 make way for any fancies of their own ; but they warn- 
 ed men against resting satisfied with a Scripture know- 
 ledge, without knowing the true faith in Christ through 
 which alone they lead to salvation. They valued the 
 Holy Scriptures as inspired records of the Divine will 
 — they read and quoted them freely, and recommended 
 to others the perusal of them; but they believed that 
 as the brazen serpent which had been the instrument 
 of the Divine mercy to the Israelites, afterwards be- 
 came the object of their idolatry, so were there many 
 people who were ready to worship the book, whilst thev 
 neglected or opposed the Spirit by which it was writ- 
 ten. 
 
 They had a deep sense of man's corruption and of 
 the Divine purity. They taught that every motion of 
 good in the heart of man, from the first conviction of 
 sin to the full assurance of faith, was through the im- 
 mediate influence of the Holy Spirit. That in man, as 
 man, there was no good thing; and that, as it was 
 through the free Grace of God in Christ that any sin- 
 ner was awakened to the error of his way, and not 
 essentially through any outward means of instruction, 
 however the Divine Influence might be usually connect- 
 ed with such means; so it was to that Divine Grace, 
 as the means of still further enlightening the conscience
 
 16 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 and of carrying on the work of sanctification, that men 
 were to be nnainly directed to seek. 
 
 This Divine Light in ti)c conscience would, they be- 
 lieved, lead to the perception that many things were 
 contrary to the Divine will, which were not esprciully 
 pointed out in Holy Scripture ; whilst the testimony 
 of the Inspired Writings would in all respects be con- 
 firmed, and the i-cader enabled to understand them to 
 spiritual edification. The Holy Spirit would open the 
 mystery of Christ truly, glorifying Him and receiving of 
 his and shewing it unto us. Thus they believed the 
 Christian was enabled to become truly wise — to die 
 unto sin and to be made alive unto righteousness. 
 
 To bring men to the knowledge of this great Teacher, 
 was the labour of those faithful men who, like the sub- 
 ject of this memoir, were singularly called and endued 
 with power to preach with boldness, and to rejoice in 
 bting counted worthy to suffer for the Name of Christ. 
 
 It appears that what these Christian worthies were 
 engaged to do, was not to add another to the many 
 names which divide Christendom ; — it was not merely 
 to testify against priestly usurpation, the practice of 
 war, oaths, and the indulgence in some particular evi- 
 dences of the worldly spirit ; — these were the accom- 
 paniments of their great and paramount engagement ; 
 which was to declare God's controversy with sin, and 
 the means by which it might be subdued ; not omitting 
 to proclaim the alone ground of a sinner's pardon, 
 through the propitiatory sacrifice of our Lord and Sa- 
 viour Jesus Christ. 
 
 So impressed were they with the terrors of the Lord 
 for evil, and the unfathomable depth of his mercies, 
 that they spoke of them with an awful reverence, the 
 feeling of which induced in some a trembling of the 
 body, from which they derived, from a persecuting magis- 
 trate, the name of Quaker ; and though it be one of 
 scorn and reproach, he who knows and has felt any 
 thing of its meaning will not be ashamed to own it. 
 For however conformable any may be in what are
 
 INTRODUCTIOJT. 
 
 17 
 
 termed the " peculiarities" of our Society, if they have 
 not been brought to see their lost estate by nature, and 
 to tremble under the sense of the Divine displeasure as 
 the prelude to the hope of God's mercy, they have yet 
 to learn the very rudiments of their Quakerism. 
 
 The experience of the true Quaker, though it may 
 begin and be carried on in judgment, will be accompa- 
 nied by and will end in mercy. Nowhere do I find in 
 Christian records more striking instances of hope in 
 Christ — of joy in believing — and of the assurance of 
 faith, than in the experience of those who were in- 
 strumental in the planting of our Church. They had 
 a strong abiding sense of the almighlincss of God. The 
 creatures, however powerful they might seem, sunk in- 
 to insignificance in their view, whenever they attempt- 
 ed to lift their puny arms in contravention of what they 
 believed to be the Divine will.* 
 
 I would by no means represent them as free from 
 imperfection, which I believe attaches to all the exhi- 
 bitions of Christian excellence in mere human form. I 
 cannot myself approve of every act which I read of in 
 their history; 1 confess also that in the exaltations of 
 the great doctrine of the Light of Christ in the heart, 
 they do appear to me not always to have given quite 
 the due proportion of importance to the outward reve- 
 lation of Christ, in the Holy Scriptures ; but whilst 
 making this concession to their opponents, which truth 
 constrains me to make, 1 can see they were sincere and 
 devout seekers of Divine truth, and that they drank 
 largely at the Fountain of Divine knowledge ; and when 
 I look at the important testimonies which they main- 
 tained — at their unwearied labours — their unfeigned 
 love— their steadfast faith — their constancy and meek- 
 ness in sutFering, I cannot but venerate their charac- 
 
 *Dr, Owen in his work on spiritual mindedness has well obser- 
 ved : "To bcliove the almighty power of God with reference to 
 ourselves and all our concerns, temporal and eternal, is one of the 
 highest and most noble acts of faith, which includes all others 
 in it." 
 
 B 2
 
 18 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ter for their works' sake ; I believe that (licy were emi- 
 nently raised up, to recall the Church of Christ from its 
 wanderings, and to set hefore it the simplicity and 
 purity of its primitive faith and worship: — that faith 
 which worketh hy love, to the purifying of the heart; 
 and that worship which, through the Holy Spirit, is to 
 be performed in the temple of the soul. 
 
 Had the opinions we have described been the mere 
 result of a course of reasoning, even from the Holy 
 Scripture ; and had they not been accompanied by a 
 lively faith, which brouglit them so into action as to op- 
 pose the interests and prejudices of many of their fel- 
 low professors, they might have been permitted to 
 share the fate of the party to which they happened to 
 belong: but when their views not oidy led them to re- 
 frain from, as superstitious, many things which were 
 highly esteemed in the religious world; but also to go 
 forth zealously to proclaim toothers what they believed 
 to be truth, and many were thereby convinced and 
 led to desert their former professions; the various sects 
 and parties of that day were stirred up as with one ac- 
 cord, against this people, and sncceedcd in persuading 
 many even devout persons, that the Quakers were the 
 enemies of religion and of Christ. No imputations were 
 too foul to charge upon this people — no indignity too 
 great to olFer — no sullerings too severe to indict. They 
 became at once the laughing stock and the whipping 
 stock of all parties. 
 
 Many however were led by this very treatment, to 
 look more inquisitively into their doctrines and man- 
 ners ; — they remembered that the way of Truth had 
 been heretofore every where spoken against, and when 
 they found that these objects of general reproach were 
 industrious in their callings and exemplary in all the 
 duties of social life, and that nevertheless they were 
 ready to forsake houses and lands, parents and children, 
 rather than disobey what they believed to be the law 
 of Christ — the inquirers were often led to conclude, that 
 these much despised people, were indeed true followers
 
 INTRODUCTION. 19 
 
 of Him who and whose discii)lcs were not ol" the world, 
 and therefore the world hated them. 
 
 And it is worthy of remark, how much this kind of 
 conviction, not founded on a minute, inductive process, 
 but resting chiefly on what may he termed interiial evi- 
 dence, has been the course tiirough which the Head of 
 the Cliurch has, in all periods, thought fit to gather 
 his people out of the world. In the opening of the Gos- 
 pel day, though accomjianied by extraordinary mira- 
 cles, there was much of this process to be observed ; 
 and in the subsequent revivals of Divine truth, whether 
 in Germany, Switzerland, or England, it will, I believe, 
 be found, that a large majority of converts were led 
 by a sense of Truth in the main — by finding a con- 
 formity of the doctrines preached, with the Witness for 
 God in themselves, rather than by a course of minute 
 investigation. Indeed, if the knowledge of the Gospel 
 required this, it could no more be said to be preached 
 to the poor, nor plain to the wayfaring man. 
 
 Many among the early converts to Quakerism, who 
 liad been wise and great in this world, were made to 
 rejoice in the laying down of their outward wisdom, 
 anil in sitting down in deep humility to learn of Jesus 
 by the teaching of the Holy Spirit in the heart, who 
 as He is waited for, will so bring into remembrance 
 what Christ has said, as to make his words Spirit and Life 
 unto them. They could say with the apostle : "I glory 
 in nothing save in the cross of Christ, whereby I am 
 crucified unto the world and the world unto me." 
 
 It was by the zealous preaching of tliis foolishness — 
 and by the illustration of it in lives of singular piety 
 and self-denial, that our fathers were gathered to be 
 a people; and it is only by a similar course, that we 
 can become or be preserved such a people as they 
 were. 
 
 The conduct of the Society of Friends, as detailed 
 in the following pages, derives an increased interest
 
 20 
 
 INTIJODrCTION. 
 
 from its intimate connexion with the history of our 
 pro^^ent rclitiious Iil)er(v. 
 
 Some j)er.sons doubt the propriety of reviving the 
 records of ancient persecutions ; lean truly say, they 
 are not brought forward in the present work to excite 
 unpleasant feeling towards any sect or party whose 
 name may have been in those times unhappily connect- 
 ed with persecuting proceedings. But the fidelity of 
 liistory, and the impoi-tant lessons which are to be de- 
 rived from experience, recjuire that such events should 
 not be concealed or even allowed to be forixotten. On 
 no subject are the lessons of past experience of more 
 importance, than in what regards liherlt/ of conscience. 
 We enjoy this privilege in an eminent degree in 
 England; it behoves us that we watch over it with a 
 vigilant care, and cherish the recollection of the means 
 by which it has been obtained, as intimately connected 
 with the knowledge of those by which this invaluable 
 blessing is to be preserved and extcMided. 
 
 I cannot agree with those who think that religious 
 privileges can neveragain be invaded, and that the diifu- 
 sion of iieneial knowledge in England is an ample secu- 
 rity against the recurrence of persecution. The spirit of 
 persecution is one of the features of man's depravity, 
 intimately connected with his pride, his selfishness, and 
 his lust of power; and unless these roots are extirpa- 
 ted from the human soil, 1 see no security for their not 
 bearing sin)ilar fruit, though varied by the circumstan- 
 ces of climate and culture. 
 
 Superstition has generally been intimately con- 
 nected with persecution, but they are by no means in- 
 seperable. Irreligion is no less opposed to the claims 
 of tender conscifncr, than superstition. It unites at 
 present with Christian charit)"-, in the opposition to 
 ('hristians j)crst(uting one another for their various 
 opinions; but this is (piite a diilerent thing from the re- 
 cof^nition of those inalienable righls of conscience, for 
 which our early Eriends so earnestly contended and so 
 patiently sull'ered. The mere worldly philosopher,
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 21 
 
 though looking with deserved contempt on the violent 
 animosities of contending religionists, and thus acting as 
 a sulutary ciieck upon their violence, has an equal con- 
 tempt for what appear to him to be the needless scru- 
 ples and the annoying zeal of the man who religiously 
 exercises himself to keep a. conscience void of offence 
 to7vanls God and men ; and when the avoidance or per- 
 formance of those things which the Christian engaged 
 in this service finds to be required of him, is opposed to 
 the views of the philosopher, no one is more ready to use 
 his authority to enforce his will and pleasure. Amongst 
 the bitterest persecutors and revilers of primitive Chris- 
 tianity, history records the names of some of the wisest 
 and mildest of the Cesars, and the most liberal and en- 
 lightened of Roman and Grecian philosophers. The 
 history of the French revolution has shown that perse- 
 cution may exist under a government which has re- 
 nounced the signs and substance of all religion except 
 the homage of an unknown Deity in the pretended 
 temple of reason. Recent events have also shown, 
 that in protestant states professing liberal opinions, 
 direct persecution can rear its head ; and in our own 
 parliament, the claims offender conscience have lately 
 been treated with very little respect. 
 
 Thus the idol of nniformily has been set up, alike 
 by the intidel illuminati of France, the pope of Rome, 
 the Episcopalian, Presbyterian, and Independent pro- 
 testants of England and Scotland, and lastly, but not 
 less strikingly, by several of the once Calvinistic but 
 now it is said Socinian churches of the Swiss cantons. 
 
 Persecution under all '\is forms is one in root. It is 
 the mystery of iniquity setting itself in the place of God, 
 and attempting to rule over the consciences of men. It 
 has worked and will continue to work, wherever the 
 humbling and restraining influences of Gospel truth are 
 practically unknown. It is the opposition of satan's 
 kingdom to the kingdomof Christ ; the former of which 
 stands in pride, tyranny, and violence, the latter in 
 righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.
 
 22 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The difference between satan and Christ's kingdom, 
 has been too much considered an affair of rvords rath- 
 er than of ihini(s. IIow often, under the mask of re- 
 ligious zeal, has evil been as busily at work as in its 
 most obvious manifestations. Satan has hardly more 
 clFectually established his cruel kin^jdom amongst men 
 by the worship of Moloch in heathen countries, than in 
 what is called Chrislendom by setting up the idol of 
 uniformity. 
 
 Views similar to these appear to have been taken by 
 our early Friends, and to have led them to raise, at a 
 period when the various parties were each contending 
 for power, the pure standard of universal liberty of 
 conscience ; and to press upon men to look more to 
 the genuine fruits of the Spirit, as the tests of their 
 Christianity, than to any form of \yords or any explana- 
 tions of Divine truth which human wisdom had been 
 able to propose ; and it is no mean collateral evidence 
 to the general correctness of their theological views, 
 that they were led by them whilst seeking liberty for 
 all, earnestly to contend and patiently to suffer for 
 what they believed to be the great precepts of the 
 Gospel of Christ — the simplicity of his worship and the 
 purity of his faith. 
 
 It is worthy of notice, that in almost all cases, as 
 churches have declined in purity, they have increased 
 in zeal for circumstantials — for words and systems 
 rather than for the immutable principles of Truth, evi- 
 denced by holiness of life and the humble forgiving 
 spirit of the Saviour. Then, to borrow the words of 
 Calvin : " So soon as any word is spoken of the abro- 
 gating of the ordinances of men, by and by great trou- 
 bles are raised up, partly by seditious men, partly by 
 slanderers, as though the whole obedience of men were 
 at once taken away and overthrown." Nor is it less 
 observable that "the most virulent enemies of vital 
 godliness are often extremely tenacious of their own 
 inventions in religion, by which they dress up a vain 
 pageant to amuse their 'consciences and to impose on 
 the ignorant." Scoll on Mult. xv. 1.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 23 
 
 Then you may see the Christian pharisee, negligent 
 of the weightier matters of the hiw — mercy and truth 
 — earnestly contending for tiie tithe of his anise and 
 cummin, and uniting with the licentious sadducee in 
 the opposition to the true servants of Christ, and in 
 defence of their common kingdom, which is that of the 
 god of this world. So it has ever heen found in cor- 
 rupt churciies, that men may be formalists or licentious ; 
 whilst they, who in a tender conscience towards God, 
 are led to refuse compliance with their institutions, or 
 who are constrained by the love of Christ to proclaim 
 aloud to sinners the mercy and the judgments of God 
 by Christ, and to rend away their false covering and 
 their false hopes, have over been the objects of cruel 
 persecutions or contumely. There is a striking passage 
 in Lord Cobham's trial, in illustration of this view : "For 
 the most flagrant trangressions of God's moral law," 
 said he, "was I never once called in question by them. I 
 have expressed some dislike to their arbitrary appoint- 
 ments and traditions, and I am treated with unparallel- 
 ed severity. But let them remember the denunciations 
 of Christ against the pharisees: all shall be fulfilled." 
 Many illustrations of a similar kind will be found in 
 the following memoirs. 
 
 Men professing to be the holy bishops and ministers 
 of Christ's Church, whilst they tolerated amongst them- 
 selves covetousness, extortion, and proiligacy, perse- 
 cuted to death the conscientious and self-denying dis- 
 senter from their ordinances ; and even they who had 
 those vices written upon their front, could avow them- 
 selves as the champions of Christ's Church and the de- 
 fenders of his faith. Such are the wolves in sheep's 
 clothing, who, though their creed may be cut to the 
 exactest orthodoxy, have ever sought the destruction 
 of the lambs of Christ. There is still great reason to 
 unite in that passage of the prayer attributed to Charles 
 1. during his aillictions : " Make them at length serious- 
 ly to consider, that nothing violent and injurious can 
 be relisious."
 
 24 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Whilst however we believe the root of persecution 
 will be found in the corrupt aifections of the human 
 heart, and that our utmost vigilance is re(juired to re- 
 press its growth; it must be admitted that its history- 
 affords many instances of a more anomalous character 
 than those which we have just pourtrayed. The light 
 of the reformation, glorious as it was, did but partially 
 dispel the mists of the long night of apostacy which 
 had preceded it. What Judaism was to Peter, educa- 
 tional prejudices and opinions were to many good men 
 in former days, when they were first awakened to see 
 the corruption of the Romish church. Like him they 
 were led to take far too exclusive views of the nature 
 of Christ's Church, and hence to sanction practices 
 which would be altogether incompatible witli the same 
 degree of piety under the clearer views of the present 
 day. 
 
 It is a subject of more than mere curiosity to inquire, 
 how those clearer views have been obtained ; and it will 
 particularly accord with the position of the present 
 essay to inquire, whether our religious Society has had 
 any and what share in the production of them. 
 
 It may I think be fairly said, that at the time of the 
 rise of our Society, there was no class or body of men, 
 who admitted that every man had an unalienable right 
 to worship God in such manner as to his individual 
 conscience appeared right ; doctrines the early Friends 
 boldly maintained. The spirit of popish exclusiveness 
 hung about all churches. In spite of the noble decla- 
 ration of Chillingworth, that the Bible and the Bible 
 alone is the religion of protestants; each church 
 party was ambitious of an impure alliance witli the 
 state, that they might enforce, as far as they were able, 
 their own interpretation of Scripture doctrine and 
 church government: and wiiilst the more active spirits 
 in these political arrangements were rarely those who 
 had much claim to Christian character, it can hardly 
 be doul)ted that many, to whom we cannot deny in other 
 respects this honour, concurred in the domineering in-
 
 INTRODUCTION. 25 
 
 fluence of their own party, and would not grant to 
 others that right of private judgment, the refusal of 
 which to thenriselvcs had been the subject of their 
 heavy complaint. Few things are more difficult to re- 
 concile with the character of a disciple of Christ, than 
 this . apparent want of its distinguishing badge; and 
 the long continuance of such discrepancies in what is 
 termed the reformed Church, ought to make us in- 
 creasingly sedulous to seek and maintain the Truth 
 in its primitive purity and loveliness. 
 
 Among the causes which contributed to prepare the 
 people of England for mutual toleration, the variety 
 of its religious parties, and that fluctuation in their cir- 
 cumstances by which they were all by turns subjected 
 to suffering and raised to power, within the few years 
 from the death of Charles the First to the restoration 
 of his son to the English throne, may fairly be enumer- 
 ated. It afforded a practical lesson on the folly of in- 
 tolerance, and the wisdom of mutual charity and for- 
 bearance. Men who were suffering under the ecclesi- 
 astical domination of others, could hardly avoid using 
 arguments for their relief which applied to others as well 
 as themselves ; and those who had used such arguments 
 could not altogether deny their force, when, themselves 
 advanced to authority, they were urged bv those whom 
 they oppressed. It is only surprizing, that the obsti- 
 nacy of men's pride and prejudices made them resist 
 so long as they did these powerful lessons. They had 
 however, doubtless a great though silent influence, and 
 prepared the way for the writings of such men as John 
 Locke, and Jeremy Taylor, and William Penn, who 
 nobly advocated the cause of religious liberty, and no 
 doubt produced a powerful impression on the public 
 mind. But though the writings of several members of 
 the Society of Friends, bear ample testimony to their 
 views in regard to religious liberty ; it was by their 
 conduct — by arguments of a practical kind — that they 
 mainly promoted this great cause. The conduct of the 
 Society, as detailed in the following pages, appears to 
 
 VOL. I. c
 
 26 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 me to be intimately connected with the history of our 
 present degree of religious liberty. They held many 
 things to be contrary to the direct injunctions of Christ 
 or the spirit of the Gospel, which others held to be ne- 
 cessary or lawful. They refused actively to comply 
 with any command which their consciences did not ap- 
 prove ; and maintained, that the civil magistrate had 
 no right to interfere in matters of religious observance, 
 or to enforce any act which was contrary to a man's 
 conviction of right, unless it were absolutely required 
 by the welfare of the state. 
 
 How bold they were on every occasion in contending 
 for truth and justice, and patient in suffering for their 
 testimony to them, the following pages abundantly 
 show ; and it is remarkable, that under the persecu- 
 tions which more or less attached to all the nonconfor- 
 mists of those days, the most peaceable class was de- 
 cidedly the most courageous. Whilst practically main- 
 taining the doctrine of nonresistance, and therefore ap- 
 pearing to support the principle of passive obedience, 
 there was not any people who made such large and 
 persisting demands for full liberty of conscience, or 
 who did more to influence the government not merely 
 to sanction one or two sects, but to extend the princi- 
 ple itself It was evident that they could be subdued 
 by nothing short of extirpation ; for whilst no violence 
 or cruelty could drive them to resistance, so neither 
 could it deter them from the steady discharge of what 
 they esteemed their duty to God and men, when actual 
 force did not prevent them. The account of these un- 
 compromising proceedings and their results, though the 
 former were esteemed foolishriess by the world, is full 
 of instruction, and affords a practical comment on the 
 words of our Lord, that " Wisdom is justified of all her 
 children."
 
 INTRODUCTION. 27 
 
 Brief notice of George Whitehead ; taken chief- 
 Lv FROM the Testimony respecting him, given by the 
 Monthly Meeting OF Devonshire-house, in London, 
 OF which he was a member. 
 
 He was born at Sun Bigs, in the parish of Orton, in 
 Westmoreland, about the year 1636. Pie was educa- 
 ted at a grammar school in the neighbourhood, and ap- 
 pears to have made such progress in his literary pur- 
 suits as to have been employed for some time as a tutor. 
 His parents had a view to educating him for the office 
 of a minister in the Established Church, and his reli- 
 gious disposition and inquiring mind no doubt raised 
 their sanguine hopes of his titness for the office. In his 
 seventeenth year, however, he embraced the opinions 
 of the then universally despised Quakers; and in the 
 following year he went forth, travelling on foot, to 
 preach the Truth in several of the midland counties, 
 and on one occasion nearly all the persons composing 
 a meeting which he was addressing were convinced 
 through his lively testimony and prayer. 
 
 "He was one," says the document referred to, " whom 
 the Lord had fitly qualified and prepared by his Divine 
 Power and Holy Spirit, for that work whercunto he 
 was called, and whereby he was made one of the most 
 able ministers of the Gospel in our day. He was a 
 large experiencer of the work of God and deep myste- 
 ries of the heavenly kingdom, and was frequently open- 
 ed in meetings to declare of and unfold the same, in the 
 clear demonstration of the Spirit and Power ; dividing 
 the word aright, to the opening and convincing the un- 
 derstandings of many who were unacquainted with the 
 way and work of Truth, and to the comforting, confirm- 
 ing, and establishing of the people and children of the 
 Lord, in their journey and travel Zion- ward.
 
 28 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 '• He was not only a zealous contender for and as- 
 sertor of the true faith and doctrine of our Lord and Sa- 
 viour Jesus Christ, in a sound an intelligible testimony, 
 but also was valiant and skilful in the defence thereof 
 against adversaries and opposers of the same ; and 
 one who through a long course of many days, was care- 
 ful to adorn the doctrine of our holy profession by a 
 circumspect life and godly conversation, wherein the 
 fruits of the Spirit, viz, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, 
 gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance, 
 did eminently shine forth through him to the praise and 
 glory of God. 
 
 " Being thus qualified and of a meek and peaceable 
 disposition, he was had in good esteem amongst most 
 sorts of people that were acquainted with him ; which 
 tended much to the opening his way in his public service 
 for Truth, and frequent solicitations unto several kings 
 and parliaments, bishops and great men of this our 
 land, for the relief and release of his suffering friends 
 and brethren under sore persecutions and hard impri- 
 sionments, and for liberty of conscience, and also for 
 relief in the case of oaths: in which labour of love and 
 eminent services among other brethren, this our dear 
 Friend was principally exercised ; and the Lord was 
 with him and made way for him in the hearts of the 
 rulers of the land, so that his faithful labour was often 
 crowned with success, to the comforting and rejoicing 
 of the hearts of many suffering brethren. 
 
 " He was a good example to the flock, in his diligent 
 frequenting of first and week-day meetings for public 
 worship, and other meetings for the service of Truth, so 
 long as this ability of body remained ; willing to take all 
 opportunities for publishing and promoting the Truth; 
 zealous tosupportgood order and discipline in the Church 
 of Christ: and as he was not for taking hold suddenly 
 of any, so he was exemplary in not being forward to 
 cast any off, in whom there appeared any thing that 
 was good ; being always desirous to encourage the good 
 in all, condescending to the weak, but admonishing the
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 29 
 
 faulty in the spirit of meekness and wisdom, that they 
 might be preserved in love to Truth, and come into the 
 unity of the one Spirit \vh?ch is the bond of peace. 
 
 " We may truly say, he was a tender father in the 
 Church, and as such was of great compassion, sympa- 
 thizing with Friends under atflict.ion whether in body 
 or mind ; a diligent visitor of the sick, and labour- 
 ing to comfort the mourning soul : careful to prevent 
 and diligent in composing differences. 
 
 "Dear Friends, much more we might say on the be- 
 half of this our dear deceased Friend, an elder worthy 
 of double honour ; but it is not with us to give large 
 encomiums of the dead ; we have rather chosen to ^ive 
 but short hints of some of the Christian virtues and 
 qualifications he was endued withal, believing there is a 
 Witness in the hearts of many yet remaining, that doth 
 testify for him and his faithful labours and service in his 
 day ; desiring the Lord may raise up many in the room 
 of this and other worthy elders, some of whom are late- 
 ly removed from us, and, we believe, taken into man- 
 sions of glory in the kingdom of God. 
 
 " It pleased the Lord to visit this our dear Friend 
 with some severe pains and weakness of body, so that 
 he was disabled for some weeks from getting to meet- 
 ings ; but he often expressed his desires for the welfare 
 of the Church of Christ, and that Friends might Uve in 
 love and unity. 
 
 " He continued in a patient resigned frame of mind 
 to the will of God, waiting for his great change; rather 
 desiring to be dissolved and be with Christ," saying: 
 ' The sting of death was taken away.' He expressed a 
 little before his departure, that he had a renewed sight 
 or remembrance of his labours and travels, that he had 
 gone through from his first convincement ; he looked upon 
 them with abundance of comfort and satisfaction, and 
 admired how the Presence of the Lord had attended 
 and carried him through them all. 
 
 " He departed this life in great peace and quiet, the 
 8th day of the 1st month, 1722-3, about the eighty- 
 
 c 2
 
 30 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 seventh year of his age ; and we firmly believe he died 
 in the Lord, and is at rest from his labours, and his works 
 follow him. 
 
 " He was a minister of the Gospel about sixty-eight 
 years; and was buried the 13th of the 1st month, in 
 Friends' burying ground near Bunhill Fields, amongst 
 many of his ancient brethren : being attended by a very 
 large number of Friends and others. 
 
 " Signed in and on behalf of the Monthly Meeting of 
 Devonshire-House, the 15th dav of the 3rd month, 
 1723, by forty Friends." 
 
 A short testimony to the excellence of George Whitehead's 
 character was given by his intimate friend Richard Claridge, who 
 was an eminent minister of the Society.
 
 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 George Whitehead's reasons for preparing his own Memoirs. — His 
 account of his early life — and of his convincement of the 
 doctrines of Friends. 
 
 Remembering the Lord our Gracious God in his 
 ways, and merciful deaHngs with me from my youth ; 
 how lie found me among his lost and strayed sheep, on 
 the barren mountains of fruitless professions, and how 
 He drew me to an inward experience of his Power and 
 sanctifying work in my heart, and to know his teach- 
 ing and spiritual ministry ; thereby to enable me by 
 degrees, experimentally to minister to others, and oblige 
 ine to live accordingly ; as also to suffer patientlyj with 
 resignation of liberty and life for Christ's sake, when 
 called thereunto, and being supported by his Power, 
 and cheerfully carried through many great trials and 
 deep sutTerings for his Name's sake, and having had 
 many eminent deliverances and preservations, even 
 from my young years ; I say, considering these things, 
 I have been the more concerned for my friends and 
 brethren, who for conscience' sake have deeply suffered 
 by imprisonments, and spoil of goods ; and in the ten- 
 der bowels of Christ Jesus have truly sympathized with 
 the faithful in their sulferings and afflictions; and in 
 His love been many times moved and stirred up to plead 
 their innocent cause before authority, as well as to so- 
 licit with great industry on their behalf; wherein the 
 hand of the Lord has been often with me, and his Pre-
 
 32 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 sence and counsel have strengthened and helped me, in 
 answer to my prayers and supplications ; and his Pow- 
 er by degrees prevailed to molify the hearts of many in 
 the several governments towards us. Glory to the Name 
 of the Lord our God, who pleaded the cause of the in- 
 nocent ! 
 
 For these reasons, a concern hath long been upon my 
 spirit, to leave some remarks and footsteps, by an his- 
 torical account, of my progress under the Lord's help 
 and conduct, in his work and service : and in order 
 thereto, to collect from divers papers, notes, and me- 
 morials I had reserved, some of those exercises and 
 transactions wherein I have been both actively and 
 passively concerned on Truth's account ; and to digest 
 the same into such a plain method as briefly as I well 
 could, and as 1 thought might be most intelligible, both 
 in point of fact and doctrine, with such observations as 
 might conduce to the good end intended, namely, the 
 Glory of God, the honour of his excellent Name, and 
 the advantage of the serious reader, the more to con- 
 sider of his Divine Grace and goodness, which endure 
 for ever, to them that love and fear Him. 
 
 From early inclinations and desires which the Lord 
 was graciously pleased to stir up in my heart towards 
 his blessed Truth, as it is in Christ Jesus, I was drawn 
 to be inquisitive after the knowledge thereof, and how 
 to become truly penitent, and witness a true amend- 
 ment of life from such a vain conversation as, in my 
 childhood, 1 had been prone to ; being partly educa- 
 ted under a Presbyterian ministiy, which the Lord 
 showed me in diveis things, came short of what they 
 professed atid pretended in their worships, preachings, 
 and prayings; insomuch that I could not cordially join 
 with them, before I heard of the people called Qua- 
 kers ; and being at a loss in my spirit, for what I some- 
 times secretly desired and wanted, I was as one be- 
 wildered ; and wandered farther, seeking among other 
 people who had some higher and more refined notions
 
 O. WHITEHEAD. 
 
 33 
 
 concerning Spiritual Gifts, &c. I was then about 
 fourteen years of aeje. 
 
 After a short time, I heard of some people called 
 Quakers, who trembled at the word of God ; and ob- 
 serving how they were reviled and reproached by loose 
 and wicked people, occasioned my further inquiry, and 
 thereupon the Lord gave me to believe they were his 
 people : and I did contend for them and their principles, 
 so far as they were represented favourable to me, before 
 I was at a meeting of theirs, or heard any of them 
 minister. 
 
 And though the Lord had raised good desires in me 
 towards Himself, that 1 might know true repentance 
 unto life, yet those desires were often quenched, and 
 my mind led away through an airy, light disposition, 
 after music, vain mirth, and other vanities. Howbeit, 
 the Lord was graciously pleased secretly to follow me 
 with judgment and reproof in my very young years, 
 and renewed desires in me after the right way ; but I 
 wanted to know a stay to my mind, while a hearer of 
 the priests and other professors, not knowing, nor fol- 
 lowing that Light of Christ in me, which convinced and 
 reproved me for the sins of my youth. 
 
 The light shone in darkness, as in a dark place, 
 before it shone out of darkness : the Spirit of the Lord 
 moved upon the waters, even when darkness was upon 
 the face of the great deep, before his works of old were 
 wrought ; and now, in order to bring forth his works in 
 the new creation, and to make us new^reatures in 
 Christ Jesus, his Spirit moves upon people's hearts, 
 even when unstable as waters; and his Light shines 
 in them before they know God or Jesus Christ, in order 
 to give them the knowledge of the glory and power of 
 God, and of his dear Son Jesus Christ. 
 
 After some religious discourses with some young men 
 soberly inclined, and when we had newly heard of a few 
 people called Quakers, at Sedbergh, in Yorkshire, and in 
 Kendal Barony in Westmoreland, I became desirous to go
 
 34 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 to a meeting of theirs, which was at one Captain Ward's, 
 at a place called Sunny-Bank, near Grayrig-Chapel. 
 
 At my first going, when I came into tiie said meeting 
 and sat down seriously among them, after a little space 
 of silence, a friend, one Thomas Arey, spake a little 
 while of the spiritual deliverances, travels, and progress 
 of the Lerd's people in his way and work; alluding to 
 Israel's delivercnce out of Egypt, from under Pharaoh 
 and his task-masters, &.C. AH this 1 thought I easily 
 understood allegorically, as spiritualized; but what 
 was most observable to me was, there appeared to Yne 
 a great work of the Power of the Lord in the meeting, 
 breaking the hearts of divers into great sorrow, weeping 
 and contrition of spirit ; which I believed was a godly- 
 sorrow for sin, in order to unfeigned repentance. 
 
 I was the more confirmed herein, on seeing a young 
 maid go mourning out of the meeting, whom I serious- 
 ly followed to observe her sorrowful condition ; and on 
 beholding her seated on the ground, with her face to- 
 ward the earth as if she regarded nobody present, as 
 she, mourning bitterly, cried out: Lord make me clean ; 
 O Lord ! make me clean. This did far more tenderly 
 and deeply aflfect my heart than what I had heard 
 spoken, and more than all the preaching that ever I had 
 heard from man ; and was a certain testimony to me, 
 the Spirit of the Lord evidencing to my spirit, that it 
 was a real work of his Power upon her heart ; which 
 also operated upon the hearts of others, causing tremb- 
 ling, sorrot^% and contrition, in order to bring them to 
 true repentance and amendment of life, and so truly 
 to experience the work of regeneration, and sanctifica- 
 tion from sin and uncleanness; and accordingly such it 
 proved unto many : glory to our God forever ! 
 
 These things having made deep impression upon 
 my mind, 1 was the more confirmed in the belief I 
 had before, that the Lord was at work among that 
 small despised people, and that He was about to gather 
 and raise up a people unto Himself, to worship Him in 
 spirit and in truth ; for such He seeks to worship Him
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. ' 36 
 
 acceptably : and this worship is not in the dead and 
 empty forms set up in the will of man. 
 
 Under these considerations I was induced soon to 
 leave the parish-priests, or ministers made by the will 
 of man, having no Divine authority from God, nor com- 
 mission from Clirist to teach others ; tiicmsclves not be- 
 ing good examples to the flock, their pride and covet- 
 ousncss being contrary to Christ's command and his 
 ministers' example ; insomuch that I knew I ought to 
 turn away from them, after the Lord by his Light 
 opened my eyes, to see the blindness of those guides 
 whom 1 had followed by education and tradition. 
 
 And though I met with opposition and hard speeches 
 from some near relations and others, for confessing and 
 vindicating Truth according to that little measure of 
 understanding 1 then had, being as yet but weak and 
 young in years, and beset with divers temptations and 
 discouragements ; yet the Lord my God helped and per- 
 suaded me to take up a resolution, not only wholly to 
 leave the said priests, but also constantly to resort to 
 the meetings of this despised people called Quakers, 
 and to sit down among them ; though then but few in 
 number, in comparison of what they have been since. 
 The meetings which I frequented, were for some time 
 in Sedbergh parish in Yorkshire, and sometimes at 
 Grayrig, near Kendal, in Westmoreland, the county 
 where I was born. 
 
 Some time after [ was fully convinced and my mind 
 turned to the Light, I was persuaded and resolved to 
 persevere among Friends; before I Jicard our dear 
 Friend G. Fox. The first time I heard him minister, 
 was at an evening meeting at Sunny-Bank, at Captain 
 Henry Ward's house. I was then very low, serious, 
 and intent in my mind; willing to see and taste for my- 
 self, for my own inward satisfaction ; and I saw and felt 
 his testimony was weighty and deep, and that it pro- 
 ceeded from life and experience, and did bespeak Di- 
 vine Revelation, and tended to bring to an inward feel- 
 ing and sense of the Life and Power of Christ, and the
 
 36 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 sanctifying operation thereof in the heart. His speech 
 was not with atlected eloquence or oratory, or human 
 wisdom, but in the simphcity of the Gospel, to turn the 
 mirid to the Light and Life of Christ ; and the Lord 
 abundantly blessed his ministry to many. 
 
 Our meetings in Sedbergh were often at Thomas 
 Blaykling's house, whose family was honest and of 
 good reputation ; and at Gervas Benson's house, who 
 had been a justice of the peace ; at Richard Robinson's 
 at Brigflats, who was an innocent faithful man ; and at 
 other places near in those parts. 
 
 Being joined to the said people in derision termed 
 Quakers, and being by the Grace of God, resolved to 
 continue and persevere in their communion, and to wait 
 upon God in his Light, wherewith He had enlightened 
 my understanding in a good measure, I had great satis- 
 faction therein ; being sensible that our society and 
 converse with one another, as we had received the love 
 of the Truth, was helpful and encouraging to us, and 
 tended to our edification and comfort: 1 greatly loved 
 and delighted in the free conversation and fellowship of 
 sober, faithful Friends. 
 
 When I was a school-boy, at the free school at Blen- 
 coe in Cumberland, L had loved retirement with sober, 
 studious scholars, though but mean and poor in the 
 world, rather than the company of loose, extravagant 
 boys, though of the gentry or richer sort, who were 
 given to much play and gaming ; for in that company 
 which 1 most alfected, we were the most profitable one 
 to another in our learning, and communicating the ef- 
 fects of our studies to each other : much more, in a spirit- 
 ual and higher sense, when v/e were in some degree 
 come to know the blessed Truth, in the Light of our 
 Lord Jesus Christy our Christian society and communi- 
 cations therein of our inward experiences did all re- 
 dound to our mutual help and edification in the love of 
 the Truth, as it is in Christ the Light and Life, and 
 our great Apostle and minister; who teaches his true 
 followers to profit, in trhat love and life which flows from
 
 6. WniTEUEAD. 37 
 
 Him, the Fountain and Foundation of all our mercies; 
 to whom alone be the praise and glory thereof for ever- 
 more ! 
 
 As to the progress which, by Divine assistance, 1 
 came to experience in the work of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ in me, after I came to be settled in my mind and 
 conscience to join in communion with the said people, 
 and to frequent their assemblies as aforesaid; the Lord 
 by his Light and Grace of his Holy Spirit, fully per- 
 suaded me that without being converted as well as con- 
 vinced, and without being regenerated, sanctified, and 
 born again, 1 could not enter into his kingdom nor be 
 an heir thereof; and that the godly sorrow unto repent- 
 ance, and a real amendment of life, must be wrought 
 by his Grace and good Spirit in me ; and that without 
 holiness none can see God. 
 
 Upon these and such serious Christian considerations, 
 I was persuaded by the Grace of God to give up in 
 obedience to follow Christ Jesus; to believe in and obey 
 his Light given me; and to wait therein diligently, to 
 receive power from Him to become a true child of 
 God ; for to as many as truly receive Christ the Son of 
 God, He gives power to become sons of God. 
 
 I saw it was my place to retire inward to the Light, 
 to the Grace of God, the immortal incorruptible Seed, 
 the ingrafted Word, which is our Divine Principle, and 
 frequently testified of among the said people, according 
 to Holy Scripture: and my mind being turned to this 
 Light, I came plainly to see my inward and outward 
 state; how much fallen into a state of degeneration, 
 and how much depraved, corrupted, and alienated from 
 the Life of Christ and of God. The very vanity of mind 
 and thoughts, wherein I had been wandering and es- 
 tranged from the Light and Life of Christ, became my 
 great burden and exercise to be delivered from, that I 
 might be truly renewed in the spirit of my mind, and 
 therein joined to the Lord. Being persuaded to wait 
 in the Light, in the way of his judgments, and to bear 
 and submit to his fatherly chastisements and reproofs 
 
 VOL. 1. D
 
 38 MEMOIRS Ate. 
 
 of instruction — believing, that Sion must be redeemed 
 through judgment, and her converts with righteousness 
 — vain thoughts, imaginations, and wanderings of the 
 mind, became a suffering and burden to me, and I earn- 
 estly sought the Lord for power to suppress them, and 
 that He would give me victory over them all, and stay 
 my mind upon Himself, that I might enjoy inward 
 peace with Him. 
 
 In waiting upon God, and sincerely seeking after Him 
 with my mind inwardly retired, and my soul desiring 
 and breathing after his Name and Power, He was gra- 
 ciously pleased often to renew his merciful visitations 
 to my poor soul, and in the midst of judgment and 
 chastisements to remember mercy, that He might be 
 feared ; and the sense hereof did soften, break, and ten- 
 der my heart, and cause me to be the more mindful of 
 the work of the Lord our God, and the more to con- 
 sider the operation of his Divine Hand, whose dealing 
 with me was in judgment and mercy ; his Eternal Word 
 by judgment, caused fear and trembling in his presence ; 
 and by showing mercy, brokenness and true tender- 
 ness of heart. And in the lively remembrance there- 
 of, I find still great cause to ascribe the praise and 
 glory to his excellent Name, power, and Divine good- 
 ness, manifest through his dear Son, even the Son of 
 his Love, our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
 
 (39) 
 
 SECTION II. 
 
 General prejudice against the principle of the New Society — His 
 parents' views — His own progress and experience, and a state- 
 ment of his principles and sentiments in regard to Christ as our 
 sacrifice — As the Light of the world — Necessity of repentance 
 — Value of the Holy Scriptures — The New Covenant — Gospel 
 Ministry. 
 
 Many of the Presbyterian priests, in those early days, 
 in Westmoreland and other northern parts of England, 
 appeared very envious against us, in the years 1652, 
 1653, 1654, &.C.; and, in their lectures and sermons, 
 much bestirred themselves to revile and reproach the 
 Quakers and their ministers, terming them deceivers 
 and antichrists, come in the last times ; gathering what 
 evil and false reports they could against us, and all to 
 incense their credulous hearers ; thereby setting both 
 neighbors and families at variance and discord, like in- 
 vidious sowers thereof. 
 
 I have known some of their hearers, even of my own 
 relations and others, when they have come from their 
 public worship, and from hearing a preachment against 
 the Quakers, who have come full fraught therewith, to 
 talk and prate against them, oftentimes nonsense : some- 
 times I have returned them a Christian answer, which 
 when rejected, I have many times found it my place to 
 be silent, and let them clamour and scoff on ; the lead- 
 ers of the people, even those priests, caused them to 
 err, and with their sour leaven, soured the spirits of 
 many into enmity. 
 
 My parents were hurt by them, and the more in- 
 fluenced against me for a time; until the Lord turned 
 their hearts and opened their understandings, to see 
 better than they could by following their blind guides, 
 whose work was to make divisions among relations; 
 yet their trouble and grief came more from their priest's
 
 40 MUMOIRS OF 
 
 influencing them against ns, and fear of my misfortune or 
 or losing preferment in the world, than from any preju- 
 dice against me or my religious persuasion ; tor they re- 
 tained a real affection to me : and in the time of my be- 
 ing about three years absent from them in the ministry 
 and service of the Truth, and in that time sulfering 
 several hard imprisonments and otherwise for the same, 
 in Norfolk and Sutlblk, were much reconciled ; and 
 when I returned to visit them they were loving, and 
 their understandings and hearts were opened toward 
 me and my Friends, who came to visit me at their 
 house. 
 
 My mother, some years before her decease, was real- 
 ly convinced of the Truth, and became a Friend in 
 her heart. And my father seeing the corruption, pride, 
 and avarice of the priests, retained a love toward 
 Friends till the end of his days. Likewise my sister 
 Anne, before the death of her mother, became a friend 
 to truth and Friends, and continued an honest, loving, 
 and serviceable woman, until death. 
 
 It is observable, when the Priests could not prevail 
 to stop the progress and spreading of the blessed Truth, 
 and Power of Christ, nor prevent the increase of our 
 Friends by all their reviling sermons and preaching 
 against us, their work was to endeavour to incense the 
 magistrates, justices, and the government, against the 
 the People called Quakers; whereupon divers justices 
 and officers were instigated to persecution, and imprison- 
 ed many of our friends in Kendal and Appleby Goals 
 in Westmoreland, for bearing testimony against them. 
 
 And I was moved in the dread and fear of the Lord, 
 to bear public testimony against their wickedness in 
 several of their places of worship in Westmoreland, be- 
 fore I travelled into the south parts of England, yet 
 the Lord was pleased to preserve me then, from any 
 harm or imprisonment. 
 
 Some time after I was conversant among our friends, 
 and frequented the meetings to which I belonged in 
 Westmoreland and Yorkshire, chiefly between the years
 
 6. WHITEHEAD. 
 
 41 
 
 1652 and 1654, 1 was much inwardly exercised in wait- 
 ing upon the Lord in Ihem. We had but little preach- 
 ing, our meetings being kept much and often in si- 
 lence; yet the Lord was pleased sometimes by his 
 Power and Word of Life, both to tender and open my 
 heart and understanding, so that He gave me now and 
 then a few words livingly to utter in some meetings to 
 my friends, and to our mutual comfort, in Him who 
 opened our hearts in great love one to another. Blessed 
 be the Lord our God for ever ! 
 
 It was out of these, and such our frequently silent 
 meetings, the Lord was pleased to raise up, and bring 
 forth living witnesses, faithful ministers, and true pro- 
 phets, in early days in Westmoreland, and other nor- 
 thern parts, in the years 1654, 1655, &c. The Lord 
 our God having in these latter days and times, been 
 pleased to visit this island with his Gospel-day and 
 rower, according to his promise unto the Gentiles, and 
 the isles that should wait for his Law ; and that his 
 Elect, his Christ, (in whom his soul delightcth) should 
 bring forth judgment to the Gentiles, Isa. xlii. We also 
 waiting in true silence upon Him, and eyeing his inward 
 appearance in spirit, and the work of his Power in us, 
 came truly to feel our strength renewed, in living faith, 
 true love, and holy zeal for his Name ; insomuch that 
 the Jjord gradually brought us to experience what he 
 said of old by his holy prophet: "Keep silence before 
 Me, O islands! and let the people renew their strength; 
 let them come near, then let them speak ; let us conr.e 
 near together to judgment." ha. xli. 1. 
 
 O ! thus keeping silence before the Lord, and thus 
 drawing near to Him in a true silent frame of spirit, to 
 liear first what the Lord speaks to us, before we speak 
 to others, whether it be of judgment or mercy, is tiie 
 way for renewing our strength, and to be his ministers 
 to speak to others only what He first speaks to us : Oh ! 
 that the people truly minded this: Oh ! that they would 
 seriously consider hereof, then would they not run after, 
 or follow sucli of their ministers or priests as run and 
 
 D 2
 
 42 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 God never sent them; who say: "Thus saith the 
 Lord," when God hath not spoken to them ; and "who 
 shall not profit the people at all." Jtr. xxiii. 
 
 The Lord was graciously pleased to lead me through 
 the law, judgment, and condemnation against sin in the 
 flesh, in order to bring me to the more glorious minis- 
 tration and law of the Spirit of Life in ( 'lirist Jesus, the 
 Foundation of the prophets, and to experience the mys- 
 tery of John's ministry of repentance, the washing of 
 regeneration, the axe being laid to the root of the tree, 
 as well as to the cutting olfthe superfluous branches, 
 that a thorough work of regeneration njii.;ht be wrought. 
 These things were spiritually, and by degrees experi- 
 enced through the obedience of faith, waiting and per- 
 severing in the Grace, Light and Truth received from 
 Christ, in order to obtain victory over sin and satan ; 
 that his work and the body thereof, might be destroyed 
 root and branch. 
 
 And whatever Divine openings the i^ord was pleas- 
 ed at any time to give me by his Holy Spirit, for my 
 encouragement, by the increase of faith and hope, I saw 
 1 must still be mindful of his inward work, of grace, sanc- 
 tification, and holiness, that it might go on and prosper, 
 though many weaknesses and temptatioiis attended, his 
 Grace was sufficient for me, and oftentimes gave me 
 strength and victory over the enemy of my soul, and 
 frustrated his evil designs ; and when he would have 
 come in like a flood, with manifold temptations and 
 devices, the spiritof the Lord lifted up a standard against 
 him, and repelled him ; Glory to our God, and to the 
 Lamb, in whom is our salvation and strength for ever 
 and ever ; whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, 
 and his dominion from generation to generation! 
 
 As our blessed Lord Jesus Christ declared. If any 
 man will do My will, he shall know of (he doctrine. It 
 was in the day of his power as the i^ight thereof did 
 appear, that a willingness was wrought in my heart to 
 do his will, and to follow Him in self-denial and taking 
 up the daily cross, which every man must do, that will
 
 G. WHITEnEAD. 43 
 
 be his disciple : by whose Light and teaching I came 
 livingly to believe, understand, and receive those doc- 
 trines and principles essential to a Christian hfe and 
 salvation, especially these following, viz. 
 
 1. God's free love in his dear Son Jesus Christ, and 
 his universal Grace in him : and that Christ died for all 
 men, who were dead in their sins ; that He gave Him- 
 self a ransom for all, for a testimony in due time, of his 
 free love to mankind ; for it was by the grace of God 
 that " Christ tasted death for every man ;" so that the 
 free Grace and love of God to mankind, are testified 
 and evident both in Christ's dying for all men, and by 
 his being the " I^ight of the World which enlightens 
 every man coming into the world." John i. 4. 9. 
 
 2. The necessity of men's repenting, and truly believ- 
 ing the Gospel, and of being so converted to Christ, as 
 to receive Christ, and to ex[)crience a living and stead- 
 fast faith in Him, in his Light, Name, and Power, in 
 order to become the children and sons of God, it being 
 by his Tower, through faith therein, that men become 
 the sons of God ; and not by traditional belief, without 
 spiritually receiving Christ into their hearts, to know his 
 work of iaith and j)ower in them, unto conversion, and 
 a real change of their hearts and minds, by the washing 
 of regeneration, which issanctification, the one baptism 
 of the Spirit, for the washing us from our sins, and re- 
 storing us to newness of life in Christ Jesus. All which 
 every true believer in Christ, our Light and l^ife, un- 
 derstands, and knows the necessity of, even of those 
 things, which arc agreeable to Holy Scripture testi- 
 mony. 
 
 I always had a love to the Bible, and to reading 
 therein, from my childhood, yet did not truly understand, 
 nor experience those doctrines essential to salvation, 
 nor the new Covenant Dispensation, until my mind was 
 turned to the Light of Christ, the Living Eternal Word, 
 the entrance whereof givcth light and understanding 
 to the simple. 
 
 Yet 1 do confess, it was some advantage to me to
 
 44 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 have frequently read the Holy Scriptures when I was 
 ignorant, and did not understand the great and excel- 
 lent things or matters therein testified of; for when the 
 Lord had livingly in some measure opened my under- 
 standing in the Holy Scripture, by my often reading 
 the same before, having the better remembrance there- 
 of, it was a help and advantage to my secret medita- 
 tions, when a lively sense and comfort of the Scrip- 
 tures was in measure given me by the Spirit. 
 
 It is through faith which is in Christ, that the Holy 
 Scriptures are said to make the man of God wise unto 
 salvation, and are profitable to him, for doctrine, reproof, 
 and instruction in righteousness, that he may be perfect 
 and thoroughly furnished to every good word and work. 
 Doubtless Paul esteemed Timothy's knowing the Holy 
 Scriptures from a child, to be some advantage and 
 help to him, but it was principally through faith, which 
 is in Christ Jesus. 
 
 These things considered, I would not have Christian 
 parents remiss in educating, and causing their children 
 to read the Holy Scriptures, but to induce them both 
 to learn and frequently to read therein. 
 
 I have sometimes observed pretty innocent children 
 in reading in the Bible allected with the good things 
 they have read, from a secret belief of them, which 
 hath had such impression on their memories and af- 
 fections, llial they have been induced to a more serious 
 consideration thereof, when the Lord has opened their 
 understandings in some measure by the Light of his 
 Grace. 
 
 By what 1 have here declared in commendation of 
 Holy Scripture, 1 would not be understood to limit the 
 giftd of the Spirit of God, or ministry thereof, or an)' of 
 his divine graces, from the illiterate, the unlearned, or 
 from persons of low and mean education, or calling, as 
 ploughmen, herdsmen, shepherds, fishermen, &c. For 
 God hath given of his Good Spirit, and excellent spiri- 
 tual gifts even unto such, and hath promised to pour 
 out of his spirit upon all flesh; and that sons and daugh-
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 45 
 
 ters should prophesy. Joel ii. 28. And Moses said : 
 " Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, 
 and that He would put his Spirit upon them." Numb. 
 xi. 29. 
 
 Now to return to my own experience and spiritual 
 progress ; my entrance thereinto, and very beginning 
 in the Spirit, and believing in the Light of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ, was really in order to my coming into the 
 New Covenant and Dispensation thereof, Christ being 
 given both for a Light and a Covenant, and to be God's 
 Salvation unto the ends of the earth. This New Cov- 
 enant, is a covenant of grace, mercy, and peace with 
 God in his dear Son Jesus Christ. It is that reconcilia- 
 tion, that near agreement with God and Christ, which 
 man must come into if ever he enjoys true peace. It 
 is in this Covenant that all the Lord's people know Him, 
 from the least to the greatest, and are all taught of 
 God, having also his law written in their hearts, and put 
 into their minds, by his Holy Spirit. It is in this cove- 
 nant that the Lord blots out all their former forsaken 
 transgressions, and remembers their sins and iniquities 
 no more, they continuing in this Everlasting Covenant, 
 and in his goodness : He is a God keeping covenant and 
 mercy for ever, to them that fear Him. Oh ! my cry, 
 my soul's breathing, my inward spiritual travail, my 
 watchings and prayings, have been — O Lord preserve 
 and keep me in thy holy fear, in humility, in the sense 
 of thy Power; that I may never depart from Thee, nor 
 from thy Covenant : that I may never dishonour thy 
 Truth, or our holy profession. And hitherto the Lord 
 has helped me on my spiritual journey and race towards 
 the prize : 1 ascribe the glory and praise only to Him, 
 " who giveth power to the faint, and to them that have 
 no might He increaseth strength ;" and often in my 
 weak estate, hath manifested strength : salvation and 
 strength come from Him who is the God of our salva- 
 tion, that his redeemed ones may sing of his judgments 
 and mercies, and ascribe salvation to our God, and to
 
 46 
 
 MEMOinS OF 
 
 the Lamb that sits with Him upon the throne, in glory 
 and majesty forever. 
 
 It was my belief after my convincemcnt, that all 
 who are truly called into Christ's niinistry, must be 
 sanctified, divinely inspired, and gifted for that sacred 
 work and service of our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ; 
 they must be careful that their " conversation be as 
 becometh the Gospel ;" they must live good lives, as 
 well as speak good words; they must be men fearing 
 God, and eschewing evil ; hating covetousness, and 
 giving noofTence in any thing, that the ministry be not 
 blamed ; concering which the Lord hath laid upon me 
 a godly care, which still remains upon me, both for 
 myself and others, that our ministry be not blamed, 
 and that no offence may be given to cause blame there- 
 upon. What signifies it for any to have a name to 
 live, when they are dead ! Or for loose, vain, proud, 
 covetous, unsanctificd persons, to pretend to be in holy 
 orders, when they themselves are altogether unholy, 
 polluted, and sinful ! 
 
 What that kingly prophet David earnestly prayed to 
 God for in Psalm 51, doth truly set forth the state and 
 condition of true Gospel ministers, whose ministry is at- 
 tended with his Power and Presence, and thereby 
 made efTectual for the conversion of sinners unto Him : 
 " Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse 
 me from my sin." " Create in me a clean heart, O God ! 
 and renew a right Sj)irit within me : cast me not away 
 from thy Presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from 
 me. Restore unto me the joy of tliy salvation, and up* 
 hold me with thy Free Spirit. Then will I teach trans- 
 gressors thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto 
 Thee." These things have I sincerely aimed at, and 
 earnestly desired of the Lord ; and in Spirit travailed 
 for, with my soul and whole heart. And the Lord 
 in measure answered me therein, before I travelled 
 abroad in the ministry of the Gospel of Christ, even the 
 Gospel of the Grace of God: which He gave and in- 
 creased from small beginnings in me, and unto nie.
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 47 
 
 blessed be his most excellent Name for ever : For He 
 promised unto his people, saying, " I will give you pas- 
 tors according to my own heart, which shall feed you 
 with knowledge and understanding." Jer. iii. 15. They 
 only are true pastors and ministers who are of his 
 giving ; and many such Ho has given and will give in 
 this Gospel day, according as was testified by a preach- 
 er both of Christ as come in the flesh, and of the mys- 
 tery of Christ as come in the Spirit : "Even the Mys- 
 tery which hath been hid from ages and generations, 
 but now is made manifest to his saints, to whom God 
 would make known what is the riches of the glory of 
 this Mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in 
 YOU, the hope of glory ; whom we preach, warning 
 every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, 
 that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus ; 
 whereunto 1 also labour, striving according to his work- 
 ing, which worketh in me mightily." Col. i. 26 — 29. 
 
 According to a belief that God would reveal this 
 Mystery of Christ in us, I was made tenderly concern- 
 ed to wait for the same, that I might witness and feel 
 the E*ower and coming of Christ in Spirit, both to sanc- 
 tify my heart, and give me understanding to do his 
 will. And when He called me to bear testimony for 
 his Name and Power, and also for his inward and spi- 
 ritual work in man, I was engaged to wait for his Pow- 
 er and Spirit to move and work in me ; and that 1 
 might labour in his service according to his working in 
 me ; and not otherwise run, strive, or strain in my own 
 will, wisdom, or strength, as knowing that without 
 Christ, his power and presence, help and counsel, I 
 could, of myself, do nothing, nor any one else. And 
 when my ability was but small, and I in much weak- 
 ness, fear, and trembling many times, the Lord helped 
 me, and increased strength and ability in my labours 
 beyond expectation ; this care still resting upon me 
 even in my early travels, to minister only according to 
 the ability given me of my Heavenly Father, and to 
 keep within compass of my own gift ; and when the
 
 48 MEMOIRS 6lC. 
 
 Spirit of the Lord opened and moved but in a few words, 
 I must not exceed, but sit down in silence when that 
 ceased. Many times in waiting upon the Lord, and 
 secretly breathing to Him in silence, the Spring of Life 
 would arise, and open counsel afresh to my own and 
 others' refreshment and consolation : many times hath 
 my soul been brought low, and the Lord hath helped 
 me, and renewed my strength to persevere in his ser- 
 vice ; being sensible the more low 1 was in myself, and 
 the more in fear toward God, though but weak and 
 simple of myself, the more He would manifest his Power, 
 and bless my endeavours and service. Let Him have 
 the praise of all, who is for ever worthy.
 
 (49) 
 
 SECTION III. 
 
 His travels in Yorkshire— Visits Lincoln, Cambridge, Norwich, 
 and Wymondham. — Ranters. — Visits otiier places in Norfolk 
 and Suffolk— Returns to Norwich — Imprisoned there — Procla- 
 mation asserting liberty of conscience — Further visits in Norfolk 
 and Suffolk. 
 
 After many blessed and comfortable seasons, and 
 refreshment from the Presence of our Heavenly Father, 
 which we enjoyed in our meetings before mentioned in 
 the northern parts ; and having, cleared my conscience 
 in testimony for the Truth, both in word, and Christian 
 conversation toward my parents and relations, being 
 some time with them before I travelled abroad into the 
 south parts of England, a weighty concern came upon 
 me, to leave my father's house and county of West- 
 moreland, and to travel abroad southward, which 1 
 acquainting some Friends with, my dear friend Edward 
 Edwards, who then was a young man and lived at Ger- 
 vase Benson's, near Coatley Cragg, above Sedbergh, 
 though he was not then called into the ministry, gave 
 up to travel with me, and to keep me company to York, 
 it being the latter endxjf the summer, in the year 1654. 
 Both of us were given up to travel on foot, and went 
 together directly to York, where we stayed two or 
 three nights, and were at Friends' meeting there on the 
 First-day, which was but small ; and I had a few words 
 given me livingly to declare among them. 
 
 Thence we travelled farther southward in Yorkshire, 
 and met with our beloved friend and brother in Christ, 
 George Fox, at one Captain Bradford's, where we 
 were at a meeting with him ; and afterward we tra- 
 velled into East Holderness, to Joseph Storr's, where 
 again we met with George Fox and divers other friends, 
 and were comforted together, and travelled a little 
 while in that country to some meetings where he was, 
 
 VOL. I. &
 
 50 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 who then had the public service wholly upon him there, 
 for the strengthening and settling Friends in the Light 
 and in the Truth. 
 
 I had some testimony laid upon me to bear at two 
 steeple-houses, before 1 left that county, but met with 
 no hard usage, except haling out ; the Lord support- 
 ing me in faith and hope of a service He had (or me 
 farther south. My honest, dear friend, Edward Edwards 
 and I, parted in lloldcrness ; and Thomas Ralison, who 
 travelled with George Fox, came with me to Hull, 
 whence we went that night over the river Humber into 
 Lincolnshire ; we had a rude, abusive, drunken com- 
 pany in the boat, who, though they threatened, and 
 otherwise abused us, the Lord preserved us from being 
 harmed by them. 
 
 George Fox and Alexander Parker overtook us (be- 
 ing on foot) irt our way toward Lincoln ; and we got 
 to a place that nigiit where was a meeting next day, 
 being the first day ; and a burthen came upon me, to 
 go and bear testimony for the Truth at two steeple- 
 houses, one in the forenoon, and the other in the after- 
 noon. I had no harm nor violence at either, except 
 pulling or pushing out; but Thomas Ralison being at 
 that in the afternoon, was abused and beaten, and 
 followed into the field by a parcel of young fellows; 
 and I was sorry that he was so evilly treated. Next 
 day he and and I parted, and I took leave ofGerge Fox 
 and friends with him, and travelled on toward Lincoln, 
 taking a meeting by the way ; where the Lord opened 
 my mouth in a living testimony. After this 1 went to 
 Lincoln that night, being but a few miles ; and there 
 met with John Whitehead, who had been exercised in 
 a public service in that city, and met with some accep- 
 tance. I staid but one night in Lincoln, being pressed 
 in spirit to travel forward toward Cambridge and Nor- 
 wich, though left to travel alone and still on foot. I went 
 to Cambridge from Lincoln in less than three days, the 
 days being then short, though my feet were galled and 
 blistered even before I came out of Yorkshire ; yet they
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 
 
 51 
 
 amended before I got to Norwich, and I was preserved 
 in health all along; which I thaMkrully esteemed as a 
 great mercy from God, being then not eighteen years 
 of age. 
 
 At Cambridge I was received kindly by Alderman 
 Blakelirig and his wife, and by the few Friends there. 
 James Parnel met me before 1 went thence, and we 
 were comforted, and among those Friends when we met. 
 After two or three days' stay, I was still pressed in 
 spirit for Norwich. Fiom Cambridge Thomas Light- 
 foot travelled with me ; and we got to about three 
 miles from Thetford in Norfolk the first night, being 
 showery weather ; but it was something ditlicult to get 
 lodging for our money at a little village where we staid, 
 they were so shy of us ; yet being at a house where 
 they sold beer, we prevailed with them to entertain 
 us that night ; but the room wherein we lodged was 
 cold and mean, and the windows so shattered, that the 
 snow came in upon us. The next day we travelled to 
 Wymondham, where one Robert Constable and his 
 wife kindly received us: being convinced a little time 
 before, by our dear friend Richard Ilubberthorn, then 
 prisoner in Norwich Castle, for bearing public testi- 
 mony to the truth at the Steeple-house at Wymondham. 
 where those called Independents met. 
 
 We went to Norwich next day, and I visited kich- 
 ard Hubberthorn in prison, where we gladly embraced 
 each other in dear and tender love, and were comfort- 
 ed together in the Lord ; there being then a few Friends 
 inthatcityconvinccdby Ins testimony and suilering. The 
 most serviceable Friend then in that city, was Thomas 
 Symonds, a master-weaver, who received travelling 
 friends: he was a loving honest man, and came to re- 
 ceive a gift in the ministry, and was faithful unto death. 
 He lived and died in the faith, and was partaker of the 
 promises which are " yea and amen in Christ Jesus." 
 He was exemplary in Truth, and serviceable both in 
 the city of Norwich and county of Norfolk. 
 
 Though I expected to suffer imprisonment in that
 
 52 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 city ; yet the Lord so ordered I had liberty some weeks 
 to have divers meetings at Thomas Symond's house and 
 at Wymondham, at one Robert Harvey's, a glover, who 
 was an honest, innocent man, that received the Truth 
 in the Love of it. To a meeting at his house, came 
 captain John Lawrence, &c. who being then tenderly 
 affected with Truth, was desirous I should have a 
 meeting at his house at Wramplingham, which I was 
 glad of. 
 
 To that meeting came three priests, viz. Jonathan 
 Clapham, priest of the town, and other two on purpose 
 to oppose. They staid in the parlour until the meet- 
 ing was settled, and peeped out to see me; and because 
 of my youth, I was contemptible in their eyes, to dis- 
 course with ; and I understood they slighted me the 
 more because thereof. However Jonathan Clapham, 
 as one ambitious and more regarding worldly honour, 
 than seeking that honour which is from above, under- 
 took to oppose and document me, about our not respect- 
 ing persons by bowing, &c. pleading what he could for 
 it ; and the Lord gave me suitable and scriptural replies, 
 which in the spirit of meekness I returned upon him 
 and his party, and laid open some of their unscriptural 
 and unwarrantable practices ; and feeling the Lord's 
 powef and counsel with me, 1 had dominion given me 
 to vindicate the Truth, to the confounding of the oppo- 
 sers. After some short time, the said Jonathan Clap- 
 ham, and another priest with him, (one Purt) withdrew, 
 but the third priest staid until the meeting was over: 
 for after the contest with the other two priests was 
 ended, I had a very good and blessed opportunity to 
 declare the Truth, and open divers matters of weight, 
 as the Lord was pleased to open to me, and enlarge 
 my Spirit to demonstrate ; insomuch that at the same 
 meeting, most of John J^awrence's family, with divers 
 others, were convinced and persuaded of the way of 
 Truth. And the Lord gave me great comfort and en- 
 couragement by his Divine assistance in his work and 
 service that day; and Friends then present, were great-
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 53 
 
 ly satisfied therein. And those same priests' contempt 
 of me his poor servant, and weak instrument, turned 
 to the contempt and disgrace of themselves ; so that I 
 had then and often, cause to ascribe the "Glory and 
 praise to the Lord our God," and to declare in praise 
 to Him : " Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings 
 hast thou ordained strength, because of thine enemies ; 
 that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger." 
 Psal. vui. 2. 
 
 The said John Lawrence received the Truth, and 
 the ].,ord's Messengers, in great love and tenderness; 
 and gave up freely in obedience thereunto. When he 
 knew a beginning in the Spirit, he turned not back ; 
 but did persevere, and bore a faithful testimony in suf- 
 fering for the Truth, both in his person and goods. His 
 and his family's turning to Truth and Friends, was a 
 means to induce and draw many after them, to Christ's 
 Light and free Ministry, that they might know Him 
 to be their Minister, their High Priest, their Shepherd, 
 and the Bishop of their Souls. 
 
 Near that time, in the ninth and tenth months, 16.54, 
 1 had divers meetings in and near Wymondham, and 
 also in Norwich ; and the Lord was with me, and 
 helped me to publish his Name and Truth ; to preach 
 the everlasting Gospel, and to turn manv fiom darkness 
 to the Light, and from the power of sin andsatan unto 
 God and his power; that people might not continue in 
 empty forms and shadows, but come to the life and 
 substance of true religion, and tothe power of godliness, 
 and to know Christ to be their Teacher and Leader, 
 whose voice his sheep hear; and they will not follow 
 the voice of a stranger. 
 
 And many in those parts were convinced of the truth 
 of these things, and turned to the Light of Christ in 
 them. Let the work of the Lord praise Him which 
 began in those days, and since has prospered in that 
 country, both in the offspring of many who then at first 
 received the love of the Truth, and in many others, 
 whom the Lord hath blessed in their obedience, and 
 
 E 2
 
 54 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 willingness to serve Him ; being come unto the dawn- 
 ing of the day of Christ's Power, wherein his people are 
 a willing people. Ps. ex. 3. 
 
 The first opposition I met with in the city of Norwich, 
 was at a meeting at the said Thomas Symond's house, 
 by one Scarf, an Antinomian preacher, who pleaded 
 for sin to continue term of life, even in the best of saints, 
 from Paul's warfare, &c. Rom. vii. And yet though 
 they still continue sinners in themselves, they are not 
 under the Law, but under Grace, and reckoned righ- 
 teous in Christ. Much such sin-pleasing doctrine we 
 met with from professors in those days, whom in the 
 Name of the Lord we withstood, as I did the said Anti- 
 nomian; and by the Lord's help, stood over Him and 
 his perverse gainsayings, to his confusion ; for I saw 
 those Antinomians very dark and corrupt in doctrine, 
 contrary to Christ's work, which is to destroy sin, and 
 to save his people from sin and transgression. 
 
 At that meeting, there were some of those persons 
 deemed Ranters,* allowing corrupt liberty. One of the 
 chief of them seemed to own what I said against the 
 Antinomian ; 1 had then given me a sense that he was 
 of a corrupt spirit, and told him, I denied his spirit also, 
 as I did the opposers, for I felt a zeal from the Lord 
 against them both ; and the Lord's power over all, in 
 whose service He did strengthen and encourage me 
 from one meeting to another, insomuch that 1 was sure 
 the Lord stood by me, and strengthened my spirit in his 
 work and service ; and the more 1 travelled and labour- 
 ed therein, the more my strength in Him increased ; 
 for which my soul did often praise his glorious Name, 
 and sing praises to him, even in solitary places. 
 
 A little time after I had another meeting at the said 
 Thomas Symond's house, on a first day of the week ; 
 and there came a company of those persons who were 
 gotten into the spirit of llanterism; and the same per- 
 
 * An unsettled class of people : many of them, as here stated, of 
 corrupt principles ; and others wild in their ideas.
 
 C. WHITEHEAD. 55 
 
 son who seemed to take my part before against the 
 Antinomian opposer, was one of the company. In that 
 same meeting, the Power and dread of the Lord God, 
 fell so weightily upon me to bear testimony against sin 
 and wickedness, root and branch — against the lust of 
 the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life — the 
 love of the world, &c. that the powerful word of the 
 Lord pierced through the meeting, and so wonderfully 
 struck down the spirits of those ranters, and other loose 
 spirits, that they came to me that evening like men 
 greatly wounded, and struck down in their spirits, 
 from their high floating notions of Ranterism ; inso- 
 much that they questioned their salvation, which be- 
 fore they thought themselves secure of, as if their moun- 
 tain could never be removed ; yet tlien they were un- 
 der doubts and fears, and such like questioning, as, 
 " Men and brethren, what shall we do to be saved ?" 
 
 In compassion to their poor souls, I earnestly exhort- 
 ed them to bear the judgment of the Lord and his in- 
 dignation, because tliey had greatly sinned against 
 Him ; that they might find mercy from Ilim, through 
 true humiliation and repentance ; with such necessary 
 counsel and warning, as the Lord by his Light then 
 showed me was most suitable to their conditions ; for 1 
 never was acquainted with that sort of people before 
 those in Norwich ; whereupon the most of them were 
 convinced of the Truth, and divers of them came to be 
 reformed in their lives and conversation ; though some 
 turned back into their corrupt, carnal liberty, through 
 want of watchfulness, and not keeping in the fear of 
 God. 
 
 We have seen in our day, that where the deadly 
 wound in the beast, or beastly nature, hath been heal- 
 ed, in those who have not gone forward through morti- 
 fication, nor patiently waited to see judgment brought 
 forth into victory, they have miscarried, and turned 
 from the Grace of God into lasciviousness, or to embrace 
 the world, and thereby to sell the Truth, and them- 
 selves too, even their poor souls, for their own iniqui-
 
 56 
 
 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 ties : " Behold for your iniquities have you sold your- 
 selves." Isa. I. 1. 
 
 Some time after the aforementioned meeting at John 
 Lawrence's, I went to visit him and his family, and 
 relations that were with them ; his wife and her sister- 
 in-law, EHzabeth Bedwell, and others of the family be- 
 ing convinced, and truly loving to Friends, as were their 
 children likewise; being also glad of the good service 
 1 had at their house, where the three priests were so 
 greatly disappointed of their designed conquest, and so 
 much confounded. Elizabeth Bedwell told me, that 
 the priest's wife of the town and she having had dis- 
 course before the said meeting, and expecting some 
 dispute to be there between the priests and the Quaker, 
 the priest's wife asked her, saying, Mrs. Bedwell, which 
 side will you be for? Elizabeth pleasantly answered 
 her, I'll be for the strongest side. After the meeting 
 was over, the priest's wife told Elizabeth^ now Mrs. 
 Bedwell, 1 know you'll be of the Quaker's side, for you 
 said you would be for the strongest. 
 
 The said Elizabeth Bedwell continued a faithful, 
 innocent, loving Friend in the Truth, and a plain, low- 
 ly example of humility until death; and her husband 
 a loving man, and friend to Truth and Friends; espe- 
 cially in his latter years. 
 
 It is worthy to he remembered, that both John Law- 
 rence's mother, and his wife's also, who were very an- 
 cient women, came to be convinced, and received the 
 Truth in those times and continued Friends to the last. 
 
 Also Joseph Lawrence, who was brother to John 
 Lawrence, and his wife, received the truth and Friends 
 in true love and became very serviceable, Joseph suf- 
 fered considerably by imprisonment. His wife lived 
 not many years after she received the Truth ; but in 
 her day was a very virtuous, sober, ingenuous, and lov- 
 ing Friend ; and by her sober life and good example, 
 left a sweet savour behind her. 
 
 Our ancient and faithful friend, William Barber, of 
 Gissing, in the same county of Norfolk, and his wife
 
 G. WnlTEAEAD. 
 
 57 
 
 also, did early receive the Truth and Friends in great 
 love and tenderness, in 1654. I first met him, as 1 
 remember, at Diss in Norfolk, and declared the Truth 
 to him and some others present, and opened something 
 of the mystery of Christ, and of the ministry and work 
 of his spirit within; and also of the enemy's contra- 
 ry work in man, as the Lord was pleased to open 
 and enable me. William was very tenderly ailected, 
 and broken into tears ; and his spirit bowed and hum- 
 bled, though he had been a great man and captain in 
 the army : Truth was near in him, and I felt him near 
 it ; and mv heart was open and tender toward him, in 
 the Love of Christ. 
 
 It was some time longer before 1 saw his wife; she 
 was an honest, sober woman, received the Truth and 
 Frionds in great love and tenderness ; and continued a 
 faithful, innocent, and loving Friend until her dying day. 
 I observed the Lord endued her with much patience, 
 considering the great and long suffering her husband 
 endured by imprisonment in Norwich castle, for the 
 space of twenty years, or above ; chiefly for non-pay- 
 ment of tithes to an old priest of the parish, who appear- 
 ed implacably malicious in his prosecution, or rather 
 persecution and revenge. The said William Barber 
 bore a faithful testimony through patience and long 
 suffering ; I know of none who suffered like him in those 
 parts, though many Friends thereabouts have suffered 
 deeply on the same account; and the Lord supported 
 them therein. 
 
 After I had laboured and travelled some weeks in 
 that county, in the work of the Lord, in the winter, 
 1654, a weighty concern came upon me to travel into 
 Suffolk. As we went, Robert Constable, the Friend 
 who went with me, procured an evening meeting at a 
 town called Bottesdale, where the people were pretty 
 civil and quiet. The day after, we went to Mendles- 
 ham, to Robert Duncan's, of whom I had a good ac- 
 count before, and of his being desirous of some Friends 
 to visit them in those parts ; for a meeting of an honest
 
 58 
 
 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 minded people had been some time kept at his house, 
 dissenting from the parish priests and their worship; 
 and yet tlicy had several preachers, or such as esteem- 
 ed themselves spiritually gifted, in some degree, to 
 preach and pray among them. 
 
 When I came to his house, he kindly received me ; 
 next day being the First-day of the week, was their 
 meeting at his house, to which I went and sat in silence 
 for some space, waiting upon the Lord in his holy fear, 
 to see and feel what he would please, by his power, to 
 open unto me to declare to the people there met; be- 
 ing in expectation to hear what should be delivered 
 unto them. Some of their teachers seemed a little 
 uneasy with our being silent so long as we then were ; 
 whereupon Robert Duncan spake a few words to this 
 purpose: that peradventure they had been too much 
 in words, or depending on men's teaching ; and there- 
 fore God now miffht see it meet to brintr them into si- 
 lence, that they might come more to depend upon 
 Him for teaching. 
 
 Some of their preachers were for putting forward 
 one or other of them to prayer; I let them alone, and 
 patiently bore them in their voluntary devotion. After 
 a little respite, the Lord opened and made way for me 
 to preach the Truth unto them, to turn their minds to 
 the True Light, that they might know the Immortal 
 Seed, and birth which is from above, unto which God's 
 Everlasting Love is; and that seed and birth which He 
 bates, to be subdued, crucified, and slain. It was to 
 the inward work of his Spirit, and knowledge of Christ 
 in Spirit, and that they might know God's teaching by 
 his Spirit, that 1 truly desired they might all come. 
 
 I was among them in much humility, meekness, and 
 poverty of spirit, wherein the Lord was with me, and 
 by his invisible power lielped me, for his own Name's 
 sake, yea, and his seed's sake ; which 1 felt among that 
 people ; for the Lord had a tender seed and people 
 among them ; towards whom my soul was truly atlect- 
 ed, in the love and bowels of Christ Jesus my Lord and
 
 G. WIHTEHEAD. 59 
 
 Leader, who went before me in his (lospel work and 
 service : to Ilinn be the glory thereof for ever ! 
 
 The said meeting was kept and ended in much so- 
 briety and seriousness ; and no opposition made therein 
 to what the Lord gave Jne to declare among Ihcm ; the 
 people being for the most part well inchned, and con- 
 vinced of the Truth then testified unto. And the meet- 
 ing remained, and was held in that place, they being 
 so well satisfied with the Truth and Dispensation of 
 the Spirit, as professed and owned among the people 
 called (Quakers, that the Friends thereof were content to 
 wait upon the Lord togethei" in silence, to know and re- 
 ceive Life, Power, and Teaching also from Him. And 
 the Lord for many years prospered them, although when 
 that meeting was reduced to know' a state of silence, 
 some of their former preachers left it for a time, yetafter- 
 wards returned ; especially one that was most noted, 
 namely Edward Plumpstead, senior, who not only came 
 to be a loving Friend in our Society, as his wife and 
 family were, but also a preacher of the Truth among 
 Friends, some years before he died. 
 
 1 was again concerned in spirit to return to Norwich, 
 and that neighbourhood, where 1 had some effectual 
 service for the blessed Truth, among the Friends con- 
 vinced thereof, and other well inclined people; also to 
 visit my beloved friend and brother Richard Hubber- 
 thorn, as often as 1 could, he being still detained prison- 
 er in Norwich castle, where he had but a poor hole to 
 lodge in, upon the end of a cross wall ; which being a 
 little old stone arched hole or room, it broke, and fell 
 down not many years after. It was the Lord's mercy it 
 fell not while he was in it. 
 
 A few days after, near the end of the tenth month, 
 1654, there was a lecture at that called Peter's Church 
 in Norwich, and 1 believed the Lord required me to go 
 thither, to bear such testimony as He would please to 
 give me, being endued with a holy zeal against iniquity, 
 and the pride and covetousness of the high priests in 
 those days ; as well as with compassion to the ignorance 
 and blindness of the people misled by them.
 
 6Q MEMOIRS OF 
 
 When the priest had ended his sermon, 1 was suffer- 
 ed to say but a few words against iniquity, &c. when 
 some of the priest's hearers came violently upon me 
 to hale me out, some pulling by one arm, and ^some 
 by the other, contrary ways ; some strivmg to ha.e me 
 out at the north door, and some out at the south porch, 
 by which violence I then got some hurt, and a pam in 
 one side of my breast, being overstrained by their pull- 
 ing and haling me; but it pleased the Lord in a few 
 days to remove the hurt and pain I got by that hard 
 usaee From the steeple house I was haled to their 
 guild-hall, before Thomas Toft, mayor, who after ex 
 Imination about water baptism, and some other things, 
 committed me to the city gaol. • . ^^ Kp 
 
 The mayor seemed to seek occasion against me oe- 
 cau.c he had none, by his q^^'^^ioning me about wate^ 
 baptism, asking mc, if the baptism of John was f om 
 heaven, or of men ( To which I answered him, if they 
 who now plead for water baptisnrj, could P-'O^^' ^^ !^ ^'^^^ 
 it appear thev have commission from heaven to baptize, 
 asTIn had,^l would own it. But I fPPOse^^^l^J^ 
 not intend so, but was for sprinkhng uifants. ^owe^e^ 
 though he could get no advantage agamst me, he sa ouia 
 
 send me to prison. , , 
 
 In the said prison 1 and some others were but hard- 
 ly treated by the keeper, one Hunt, who demanded for 
 one bed for three of us, four-pence a nij^ht of each ; we 
 thou-ht it was hard measure to demand twelve-pence 
 a ni^'ht of prisoners for one mean bed, for three men to 
 be crowded together in, and that in a cold room, where 
 another prisoner lodged in a bed to himself ; so that 
 we not finding freedom to gratify the gaoler in his op- 
 pression and covetousness, and afraid to bring any 
 charge upon any of our Friends, to procure us better 
 accommodation in prison, thought ourselves necessitat- 
 ed to lodge upon the bare boards of the floor in our 
 wearing clothes, and little covering besides ; and thus 
 we lodged for eight weeks together m the cold wmter, 
 whereby, though we endured much cold, yet were
 
 G. WniTEIIEAD. 61 
 
 through the Lord's mercy generally preserved in health. 
 Such kind of hardship 1 might think the greater, hav- 
 ing been tenderly brought up by my parents, and being 
 only about eighteen years old, when thus imprisoned in 
 1654. Whilst we were prisoners, our dear friend, 
 Thomas Symonds aforesaid, was sent to prison to us, 
 only for asking a priest a question in the steeple-house 
 after sermon. 
 
 At the next sessions for the city, James Lancaster 
 and I were had into court, before one Charles George 
 Cock, then judge ; and the great otFence he took against 
 us, was our not putting off our hats in court, which we 
 could not for conscience sake submit to, nor to do such 
 homage to mortal man. This he seemed to resent, as 
 a contempt to the court and authority, pleading for re- 
 spect to superiors, as the duty of servants to masters. 
 I signitied that servants ought to perform their duties, 
 and to serve their own masters, not with eye service as 
 men pleasers, but in singleness of heart ; whereas put- 
 ting off the haf, and bowing to men, and thereby re- 
 specting their persons, is but an eye service, and men- 
 pleasing, and no real service or duty to superiors or 
 government ; neither do we know any \r\v broken by 
 our wearing our hats, any more than by wearing the 
 rest of our garments ; nor do we thereby intend any 
 contempt against authority. After a few words of this 
 import, 1 bore the judge's threatening and insulting pa- 
 tiently, and stood still in silence. 
 
 John Bolton of London, being behind me in court, 
 suddenly plucked otF my hat, with the other Friend's, 
 supposing thereby to pacify the judge, and prevent our 
 farther suffering ; he with another friend or two being 
 come from London to visit us : howbeit we were re- 
 manded back to prison, our cold place of confinement. 
 Suddenly after, our Friend John Bolton, was sorely 
 troubled in his conscience for plucking off our hats ; 
 and could not rest quiet in himself, until he returned 
 into court again, and made open profession against him- 
 self, condemning what he had done in taking off our 
 
 VOL. I. r
 
 (i'-i MEMOIRS OF 
 
 hats. Upon which, as it was related to me, the judge 
 signified, he thought what John had done, would not 
 hold with the Quaker's principle. John had not been 
 long a professed Quaker ; yet he continued zealous for 
 Truth unto his end. 
 
 It may be observed, that the judge of the said court 
 of sessions in Norwich, was tenderly cautioned before- 
 hand by letter from us who were prisoners, against that 
 very course which he took against us in sessions. How- 
 ever I was discharged by the judge ; yet for some time 
 after, detained in prison l)y iJunt the gaoler, pretend- 
 ing he had laid actions upon us for what he claimed as 
 a debt owing for lodging ; upon which we were con- 
 tinued in prison, under the same hardships in the cold 
 winter, in all eight weeks or above, until the said gaol- 
 er died. And then we were actually freed out of pri- 
 son, so that the Lord delivered us by removing our un- 
 merciful oppressor. 
 
 About this time a proclamation was issued by the 
 commonwealth in which many just principles were as- 
 serted in regard to liberty of conscience. 
 
 It proclaimed however no new favour to the poor 
 Quakers, who, in company with the Ranters whose 
 principles and practices they always disavowed, were 
 deemed unworthy of additional liberty, as acting in a 
 manner opposed to the freedom and liberty of others. 
 This charge no doubt had reference to the very active 
 spirit which Friends displayed in the propagation of 
 what they deemed gospel truth, in which cause they 
 were frequently led to make public declarations in 
 streets, market places, and fairs, and also at the usual 
 places of worship, when the regular services were gone 
 through. 
 
 Soon after George Whitehead's commitment to Nor- 
 wich prison, an answer to the proclamation was issued, 
 signed by him and two of his fellow prisoners, from 
 which the following extracts are made, and with which 
 we resume the abstract of his own account.
 
 G. WniTKHEAD. 63 
 
 The proclamation was against such as openly and 
 avowedly, by rude and unchristian practices, disturb 
 both public and private Christian meetings in their re- 
 ligious exercises in the worship of God, whereby the 
 liberty of the gospel, the profession of religion, and the 
 name of God is much dishonoured and abused. And 
 many informations being given forth of such practices, 
 by those under the names of Quakers and Ranters, 
 and such practices are disliked in all, and proclaimed 
 against, which be contrary to the just liberty and free- 
 dom which the people of this commonwealth is to be 
 protected in, &c. 
 
 jins. The Power which is received, immediately 
 from God, brings into the true liberty and freedom as 
 pertaining to conscience; and the pure law of God 
 which came from the same Power, takes hold upon 
 that which oppresseth the good seed, and conscience 
 also. 
 
 And though liberty of conscience, and liberty of god- 
 liness have been long pretended and promised, yet the 
 same is not yet performed, nor fulfilled unto those who 
 have been free to lay down their lives, for this liberty 
 of conscience so promised and professed. Now when 
 the Lord hath enlightened us by his True Light, and 
 brought us to walk with a pure conscience toward God 
 and man, we find more tyranny, cruelty, and plotting 
 mischief against us, than ever those accounted enemies 
 of the Commonwealth invented to take away our lives ; 
 though no man can lay any evil to our charge done 
 or acted, or law broken by us. 
 
 But for declaring the Truth freely, as it is made 
 manifest in us from the Lord, against all deceit and 
 unrighteousness of men, we are shut up and kept close 
 in holes and prisons, among thieves and murderers. 
 This is the reward and liberty we receive from the 
 world, for declaring unto them the eternal Truth of 
 God, who hath called us, whom we cannot deny for the 
 world's advantage. Mat. v. IL 12. 
 
 For witnessing forth in life and power that which
 
 64 1IEMOIR3 OF 
 
 protection is promised to, many now sufror in England, 
 and have not their just liberty in the exercise of godli- 
 ness, though not found guilty of any of those unchristian 
 practices proclaimed against. 
 
 The people called Quakers, do not impose upon the 
 consciences of their brethren, or any others, any thing 
 which may embondagc their just liberty or freedom in 
 the things of God, but do desire their liberty, that all 
 bondages and ties may be'taken otFthe consciences of 
 all people in matters of the worship of God ; and for 
 the purchasing of this liberty, do we suffer bonds and 
 imprisonments, beatings, stonings, stocking, and other 
 cruel usage, from those who profess themselves Chris- 
 tians, magistrates, and rulers in this Commonwealth. 
 
 And as touching the many informations said to be 
 given forth of such practices by those under the names 
 of Quakers and Ranters ; (i. e. of rude and unchristian 
 practices which are disliked;) 
 
 We answer — We do utterly deny the principles and 
 practices of Ranters ; who, from the Light of Christ, 
 which is pure in the conscience, are turned into the 
 liberty of the flesh, and into all uncleanness, and to 
 practice those things to which the plagues of God are 
 due, and upon which the vials of the wrath of God are 
 to be poured out. 
 
 How contrary to the liberty and protection, univer- 
 sally promised and proclaimed, our unjust imprisonment 
 in the castle and city of Norwich is, may plainly ap- 
 pear to all persons of understanding, we being by the 
 Eternal Spirit of the Living God called from our earth- 
 ly habitations, freely to declare and make manifest the 
 Eternal Word of God, and the powers of the world to 
 come, as made manifest in us by the Eternal Spirit, 
 coveting no man's silver or gold ; but freely declaring 
 what we have freely received from God, in love to the 
 souls of all people, that they might also be partakers 
 with us of the powerful Truth of God ; that their souls 
 might live in it and know the pure God, whom all the
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 65 
 
 world in their first state are ignorant of, and enemies 
 to. 
 
 Besides our hard usage, and the severity of our con- 
 finement, to add affliction to our bonds, one Sampson 
 Townsend, by trade a weaver, who had taken upon 
 him the habit and place of a priest in Austin's parish in 
 Norwich, to make himself famous, published a book or 
 pamphlet against us, to defame us, after we were com- 
 mitted to prison, as being* in Norwich gaol for errors 
 and miscarriages, as deniers of the Word of God, and 
 the Scriptures, &c. but his envy and falsehood were 
 publicly detected. Nevertheless, after Townsend re- 
 moved to Repham, I having a meeting in that town, he 
 came to oppose me, but made little work of it ; for he 
 was manifestly confounded, not acknowledging the 
 Word to be before the Scriptures, but asserting them 
 to be the only Word of God ; which was his old objec- 
 tion against us when in Norwich prison, for our testi- 
 mony to Christ's being the Word, which was in the 
 beginning, &c. At that meeting I told him, the word 
 of the Lord came unto the prophet, saying, &c. " and 
 these are the words of Jeremiah to whom the word of 
 the Lord came," Jer. i. \. 
 
 So that the Holy Scriptures or writings, are or con- 
 tain the sayings or words of the Eternal Word, that is, 
 of God and Christ, as given and revealed unto his ser- 
 vants, prophets, and- ministers : holy men of God spake 
 as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, 2 Pet. i. 2L 
 What John was commanded to write, were the true 
 sayings of God, Rev. xix. 0. But of Christ he saith, his 
 Name is called " the Word of God," verse 13. And I 
 think it is no slighting, much less contempt of the Holy 
 Scriptures, to own them either as the words or true 
 sayings of God, without giving them the same Name 
 or Title, which more properly belongs to Christ or 
 God. 
 
 After our discourse at the said meeting at Repham, 
 as I was riding out of the town, the word of the Lord 
 
 T 2
 
 66 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 came upon me, to warn the people in the street to 
 repentance, &c. who (for no other cause) evilly intreat- 
 cd me, by stoning me in a furious manner ; insomuch 
 that I could scarcely get my horse to stand, or abide in 
 the place where 1 declared the Truth to them, until 
 they became more calm and quiet ; so that I cleared 
 my conscience to the people ; for the Lord stood by 
 me, and so preserved and defended me by his Power 
 and merciful Providence, that 1 got scarce any harm 
 by all their stoning me ; but thereby they showed what 
 fruit their minister, my opposer, had brought forth by 
 his busy, envious opposition against us. 
 
 And now to return to the course of my intended nar- 
 rative ; when James Lancaster and myself were ac- 
 tually freed out of Norwich prison, which was, as I 
 remember, in the first month, called March, 1654-5, 
 the oppressing gaoler being removed by death, and his 
 wife more tender than he was. I really believed the 
 special hand of the Lord was in our deliverance ; and 
 1 was very thankful to ITim that we were so well freed 
 out of that prison, but we left C. Atkinson still there. In 
 a short time after I was released, T went to see two pri- 
 soners, who remained ; whereupon I was apprehended, 
 and had before Thomas Toft, mayor, and again com- 
 mitted to the said prison ; and detained for about three 
 weeks, without any proof or colour of transgression, or 
 law against me, but only the arbitrary will and preju- 
 dice of the said mayor. 
 
 However the Lord did not suffer him to detain me 
 long, having other and further work and service for me 
 to do, for his Name and Truth's sake. 
 
 The reason of the said C. Atkinson's remaining in 
 prison after the rest, was partly an action or an attach- 
 ment of privilege, laid upon him by an attorney, for 
 speaking some rash or hard words to him, which he 
 supposed were actionable ; also the priest who then 
 used to preach to the prisoners, took occasion to com- 
 plain against him, for some words spoken, whereby the 
 priest was aifronted. However, poor man, the said
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 67 
 
 C. A. was not altogether so prudent, meek, or gentle in 
 his conduct as he ought to have been ; and that was 
 not all, but worse befell him after he was left alone in 
 prison ; for though he got more liberty, and better ac- 
 commodation than we had in prison when together, yet 
 he falling into too much fomiliaritv and conversation 
 with such as were somewhat inclining to a spirit of Ran- 
 terism, he grew loose and waxed wanton against Christ, 
 his Light and Truth ; insomuch that at a certain time 
 having a little liberty granted him out of prison, Rich- 
 ard Clayton and I met him at a Friend's house in the 
 country, and perceiving him got into too much lightness 
 and liberty, we met with him alone, and seriously ad- 
 monished and cautioned him, which he could scarce 
 bear, without appearing offended and in passion ; there- 
 upon I was jealous what might befall him, insomuch 
 that some stop came upon me secretly, that I had 
 scarce freedom afterward to visit him in prison. He 
 had been over much affected by some weak, indiscreet 
 persons, and set up above his place, to his hurt ; and 
 some young men have been hurt thereby. 
 
 After some time his iniquity becameobvious, of which 
 my dear brother Richard Hubberthorn gave me notice. 
 Richard and Thomas Symonds went to see him, and 
 he told them there was no redemption for him : thus 
 he was tempted to despair, by the enemy that had pre- 
 vailed over him, yet he gave out a severe testimony in 
 condemnation against himself. When I heard of his 
 foul miscarriage, it brought deep sorrow upon me, even 
 unto solitary mourning and tears for Truth's sake, and 
 our poor innocent Friends', who had lately received 
 the Truth; being sensible that both would greatly 
 sufTer, and be reproached thereby ; however the Lord 
 relieved me after a little while, and laid it the more 
 upon me to labour and travel about in those parts, to 
 strengthen the weak, to help and comfort the feeble, 
 to vindicate the blessed Truth and Way thereof, and 
 to exalt and set the same over the head of all deceit 
 and wickedness and backsliders, and such as turn into
 
 68 MKMOIKS OP 
 
 the pollutions of the world ; well knowing and rennind- 
 ing Friends and others, that the Truth is the sanne, 
 and never clianges, and ought not to be blamed; but 
 such who turn their backs on it, are condemnable ; 
 and judgment follows them. And it was the Lord that 
 stood by me in that service, and by his power helped 
 and strengthened me, to strengthen and help many ; 
 so that the scandal took the less elFect to do hurt or 
 mischief in those parts: glory and dominion to our God 
 and the Lamb, for ever and ever ! 
 
 After my release out of prison the second time, 1 tra- 
 velled to divers parts of Norfolk and Sutlblk. My dear 
 friend and brother Richard Clayton, was with me at 
 some meetings in Norfolk ; and there was an honest 
 minded people enquiring after the Lord, and his living 
 Truth, whose hearts lie had prepared to receive it. 
 And I well remember in what manner the Lord opened 
 my heart, and enlarged me in Gospel testimony toward 
 those people; it was to the universal love and Grace 
 of God, the J^ight of Christ in every man, to turn their 
 minds thereunto, therein to wait to know God's teach- 
 ings, and to come into the New Covenant Dispensation, 
 wherein all the Lord's people are taught of him, and 
 know Him, even from the least unto the greatest, and 
 witness his law written in their hearts, and his Spirit 
 in their inward parts, according to his blessed promises, 
 and this his New and Everlasting Covenant, as prophe- 
 sied of by the holy evangelical prophets. 
 
 In this New Covenant, not only the liousc of Israel 
 and Judah may be partakers of Christ, but all truly 
 believing gentiles also, to whom Christ is given for a 
 light and for a covenant, and to be God's salvation to 
 the ends of the earth; for God is not only the God of 
 the Jews, but of the gentiles also; and they are the 
 true Jews and Israel, who are spiritually such : Jews 
 inward, by the spiritual circumcision of the heart unto 
 the Loid by his Holy Spirit. 
 
 And in order to come under this New Covenant Dis- 
 pensation and ministry, and therein to know and ejK-
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 
 
 69 
 
 perience Christ to be their Minister, their Teacher, 
 their High Priest, and Prophet, the people before men- 
 tioned were persuaded to cease from man, and from all 
 their ministers and priests, made by the will of man; 
 who preached for filthy lucre and gain, making a trade 
 of the Holy Scriptures ; adding their own divinations, 
 meanings, and notions thereunto ; having no commis- 
 sion given them to preach, and making a trade of the 
 words and testimonies of the holy prophets, Christ Jesus, 
 or his apostles; but walking contrary to their steps and 
 practices, in pride and covetousness. 
 
 The Lord often laid a pressure upon me and others of 
 his servants, to testify against the pride and covetous- 
 ness of the priests, and their preaching for hire, for 
 tithes, and forced maintenance, contrary to Chrisfs 
 command, and his ministers' example ; for which cause 
 they were the more envious against us; and in their 
 pulpits exclaimed, and made a great noise to incense 
 the people and magistrates against the Quakers, so 
 called, even under severe persecution and imprison- 
 ment ; and the greater necessity was laid upon me, 
 and others of the Lord's servants, to testify against 
 those envious priests, sometimes even in their public 
 places, improperly called churches, to undeceive the 
 people, that they might not still be led captive. 
 
 It is still a matter to me very memorable, that by 
 preaching livingly the Light, the New Covenant, the 
 Word nigh to people in their hearts, yea, the Gospel of 
 the free Grace and love of God in Christ to mankind; 
 many were really and effectually convinced and per- 
 suaded of the blessed ever livingTruth, as it is in Christ 
 Jesus, in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, &c. 
 where the Lord led me early to travel, and helped and 
 prospered me in his service ; blessed and praised be 
 his Name for ever I 
 
 When I was at Mendlesham meeting, at Robert 
 Duncan's, A. D. 1655, George Fox the younger, a Suf- 
 folk man, was effectually convinced, and received the
 
 70 
 
 MEMoina or 
 
 Truth, being then lately come out of the parliament's 
 army in Scotland. 
 
 One remarkable passage, and the consequences 
 thereof, I may not omit : the aforesaid John Lawrence 
 (see page 52) had been a member of an Independant 
 congregation, and because he left them and received 
 us and our friends, their pastor, one Timothy Armitage, 
 and the elders called him in question, and were minded 
 to excommunicate him. 
 
 The same year 1 655, he was summoned to their 
 meeting in Norwich, at the parish church called 
 George's of Tomland; and I went with him thither, 
 and Edmund Bedwell, who had not then left off his 
 sword, or falchion ; which I blamed him for, thinking 
 they would take occasion against him and us for it, as 
 some of them did afterward. There was a great con- 
 course of people, men and women met together, with 
 their pastor and elders, and they repeated their charge 
 against John Lawrence, to this purpose, viz. His 
 forsaking their church or communion ; his entertaining 
 strangers, or persons dangerous, or holding dangerous 
 doctrines, &.c. But I could not perceive any matter of 
 fact they could prove against him of any error, or dan- 
 gerous consequence; what they insinuated against him, 
 appeared to be without proof, or colour thereof. 
 
 Then he was to give his reasons why he left them 
 or their church, whereof he had been a member ; to 
 which he answered according to the apostle Paul's doc- 
 trine, 2 Tim. iji. to turn away from such as have a 
 form of godliness, but deny the power thereof; namely, 
 such as are proud, heady, high minded, and covetous, 
 though they may have a form or profession of godliness, 
 yet denying the power thereof, from such we are to 
 turn away, &c. And the said John Lawrence apply- 
 ing this to them who then went about to excommuni- 
 cate him, gave the same for his reason why he turned 
 away from them ; though they had a form or profes- 
 sion of godliness, yet they denied the power thereof; 
 and therefore he might justly turn away from them, <fcc.
 
 G. WHITiSnEAD. 71 
 
 After which, in the fear and dread of the Lord, I 
 stood up to declare a few words among them, but they 
 quickly pulled me down, and by force held me down in 
 the pew where we were ; and some of their proud 
 women that were near us, expressed their rage and en- 
 vy against me in particular ; and some of their church 
 forcibly haled and pushed me out of the stceple-housej 
 and exposed me to a rude multitude, who stood ready 
 to lay violent hands on me ; and they pushed and 
 haled me away through the streets and market place 
 of the city, sometimes throwing me down upon the 
 stones, whereby I was bruised ; though the hurt 1 got 
 thereby, the Lord was pleased to remove in a short 
 time. They followed and encompassed me, pushing 
 me along, roaring and shouting, until I came near to 
 the city gate, called Giles's gate, next to a little pasture 
 ground ; at the upper end whereof I saw a great house, 
 where the Lady Hubbard dwelt; upon the sight 
 whereof I was in a great strait, and at a stand in my 
 mind, the tumult being great about me, whether I 
 should then go out of the city in order to go toward 
 Wramplingham, to John Lawrence's, or whether I 
 should turn up toward the said great house, desiring 
 the Lord to direct me at that instant. Hereupon I con- 
 sidered that if I should then turn out of the city into 
 the high way, toward Wramplingham, I might be in 
 danger to lose my life by that violent, tumultous com- 
 pany that were then about me ; and it would be the 
 less regarded, or taken notice of; and therefore if I 
 must lose my life, it would be better to die where my 
 testimony was to be borne within the city of Norwich, 
 and where my persecution was begun, rather than by 
 the tumult without the city, or abroad in the held ; 
 for 1 was given up to suffer what violence the Lord 
 might permit them to do unto me. 
 
 On which consideration I immediately turned up to 
 Lady Hubbard's, the tumultous, raging company con- 
 tinuing still about me ; by whose shouting the lady's 
 chaplain, Dr. Collins, as he was afterwards termed, and
 
 72 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 most of the family, came out too see and hear what 
 was the matter of such a great neise, and why such a 
 mob came before the house ; and they beheld me that 
 I was the person beset and persecuted. 
 
 The chaplain understanding what I was, undertook 
 to discourse with me, first by way of interrogation, con- 
 cerning the same spirit which the apostles of Christ 
 had; ifl had the same spirit? I owned that in measure 
 I partook of the same Spirit, though I would not equal- 
 ize my degree of attainment to tbeirs. Then if 1 had 
 that spirit, the chaplain would have mc demonstrate or 
 prove it, by some sign or miracle, as the apostles did. 
 Or, if I could speak with tongues by a gift of the Spirit, 
 and not by acquirement, as by human learning. 1 an- 
 swered him, according to the apostle Paul's words in 
 that case, 1 Cor. xii. speaking of the diversities of gifts, 
 given by one and the same spirit, 1 told him, all who had 
 the'spirit of Christ, had not all those gifts, as that of 
 tongues and miracles, for " to one is given the w^ord of 
 wisdom ; to another the word of knowledge ; to ano- 
 ther faith ; to ahother working of miracles ; to another 
 prophecy ; to another divers kinds of tongues ; to ano- 
 ther intlerpretation of tongues : yet all by the same 
 Spirit," the Spirit and power of Christ. 
 
 It is evident that these gifts of tongues and miracles, 
 &c. were not common to all who had the Spirit of 
 Christ, in the primitive church, but peculiar to some, 
 as these questions import, viz. "Are all apostles? Are 
 all prophets ? Are all teachers ? Are all workers of 
 miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? Do all speak 
 with tongues ? &.c. 1 Cor. xii. 20, 30. implying that all 
 the ministers and members of the church were not so 
 gifted in all these respects, though they all had one and 
 the same Spirit, from whence these gifts came. And 
 1 may have the word of wisdom, knowledge, and faith, 
 by the same spirit, and yet not the gift of tongues and 
 miracles. It no ways follows that none have the spirit, 
 but they who have those gifts. I then clearly saw the 
 chaplain's way of reasoning in this case would not hold.
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 73 
 
 When he perceived how tumultous and rude the 
 company about had been against me, he questioned why 
 1 did not quiet or quell them, or supposed I might, if I had 
 the same Spirit or power, the apostles had. I answered 
 him, that the apostle Paul himself desired the church of 
 the Thessalonians to pray for him, that the Lord would 
 deliver him out of the hands of unreasonable men, for 
 all have not faith. He was therefore sometimes in the 
 handsof unreasonable men, when in tumults ; and the 
 Lord delivered him out of their hands. While we dis- 
 coursed, my persecutors stood silent, as in a ring, and 
 heard us, on the subjects before related ; our discourse 
 held but a little while, 1 suppose about half an hour. 
 
 In the mean time came a soldier or trooper, with his 
 sword by his side, and perceiving me to be the person 
 persecuted and watched by that rude company, as 1 
 withdrew he came to me, and said, he would go along 
 with me, and guard me to my quarters, or lodgings ; 
 and laying his hand upon his sword, commanded the 
 mob to stand off, to make way. So I was quietly res- 
 cued, and he went along with me to my dear friend 
 Thomas Symond's house in the city. 
 
 I saw it was of the Lord that I was put in mind to draw 
 toward that house, the Lady Hubbard's, when 1 was 
 in such a strait in the tumult as before related ; and 
 that a stranger should be at last stirred up to rescue 
 me out of the hands of such unreasonable men, as had 
 beset and abused me with violence. 1 have often been 
 thankful to God for his merciful Providence in that de- 
 liverance. 
 
 The said soldier who took such care to rescue me, 
 afterward came into society with the people called 
 Quakers, wherein the Lord showed mercy to him ; his 
 name was Robert Turner, of Lynn. I knew not that 
 he was the man that rescued me till twenty-five years 
 after, when I was again prisoner in Norwich castle, 
 with many more Friends, in the year 1 680. 
 
 In those days, prisons and gaols were made sanctua- 
 
 VOL. I, G
 
 74 mi:moirs of 
 
 ries, and places of refuge and safety to us, from the fury 
 of the tumultuous mob ; although we met with but 
 hard usage in those places of severe confinement, many 
 times among notorious criminals ; and although I suf- 
 fered both in tumults and imprisonments, by hard 
 usage in them, the Lord helped and sustained me by 
 his Divine power and goodness, so that I was not wea- 
 ry of his service, nor my spirit faint in my sutfcrings. 
 The grateful remembrance of his goodness, and lively 
 sense of his love to my soul in those days, still live and 
 remain upon my spirit; praised be our God forever 
 and evermore! 
 
 My dear friend and brother, Richard Ilubberthorn, 
 being longer detained prisoner at Norwich castle than 
 I was in the city prison, in the year 1 654-5, I wanted 
 a suitable companion to travel with me, in the work of 
 the Gospel ministry in those parts ; except, as before 
 related, Richard Clayton travelled with^me in some 
 parts of Norfolk ; and Thomas Bond was with me for a 
 short space at some few meetings, where I had labour- 
 ed in the Lord's work and service. 
 
 The Lord did greatly assist me, and gave me living 
 encouragement and comfort when I was much alone, 
 in his work and service ; and 1 was the more comforted 
 and animated in spirit by his divine power and presence, 
 in feeling and perceiving his blessed work to prosper, 
 and the truth of the Gospel of Christ take effect upon 
 the hearts and spirits of many, both old and young ; 
 opening their understandings, convincing them and con- 
 verting them to Christ the true light, and turning many 
 from darkness, and the works thereof, to know his di- 
 vine power to make them his dear children and people ; 
 as many were in those early days. And how diligent 
 were many in those days, in going many miles to 
 Friends' meetings, both ancient and young, men and 
 women, maidens and children ! What love, what bro- 
 kennessand tenderness, would be and appear in meetings 
 in those days of their first love and espousals ! where- 
 in many were espoused unto Christ Jesus, in his
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 75 
 
 light, life, and Spirit, and many of those loving and ten- 
 der Friends, who were of the first fruits among us, con- 
 tinued and ended their days. 
 
 After Richard Hubberthorn was delivered out of 
 Norwich castle, we had some comfortable meetings to- 
 gether in Norfolk, in the work and fellowship of the 
 Gospel of Christ Jesus; and particularly at Pulham, at 
 William Grudfield's, who was an ancient, honest-heart- 
 ed man, and received the truth and Friends in much 
 love and tenderness : and also at Matthew Elmy's, at 
 Margret's of Ilkisson, in the nine parishes, not far from 
 Beccles. He and his wife and family received the love 
 of the truth, and were very honest, loving people. 
 
 On that side the country, were gathered a few 
 Friends who were truly convinced and turned to the 
 Lord, his light and Spirit in their hearts ; among whom 
 was William Bennet, whom the Lord endued with his 
 heavenly gift, so as he became a living minister of the 
 Gospel of Life and salvation, being also of an innocent 
 and holy conversation ; and afterward for his faithful 
 testimony, he was a great sufferer in Edmunds-Bury 
 gaol. 
 
 The said Richard Hubberthorn and I also had a con- 
 siderable public meeting at Beccles, in a yard or or- 
 chard, where several sorts of professing people came ; 
 some of them opposed, others questioned our testimony 
 concerning the Light of Christ in men, or. His enligh- 
 tening every man that cometh into the world. Our 
 doctrine of the Light within, was chiefly questioned and 
 stumbled at in those times, even by many great pro- 
 fessors and teachers, as if it had been some new doc- 
 trine ; though it be both as ancient and scriptural as 
 any other Divinity, taught by the holy prophets or mi- 
 nisters of God or Christ. 
 
 Among the opposers and questioners of our doctrine 
 of the Light, at our said meeting at Beccles, was one 
 Richard Townsend, who behaved himself more mildly 
 than some of the company, seeming to be more upon 
 the enquiry than any way prepossessed with prejudice.
 
 76 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 Though he stumbled about the Light ; yet upon our 
 demonstrating the truth thereof, and how the Light 
 shows to man and reproves him for sin, and would in- 
 struct him to repentance, and lead him out of sin and 
 evil, if obeyed and followed ; and that when the Gos- 
 pel is truly and livingly preached to men, this Light in 
 them answers, and beareth witness thereunto, and con- 
 vinceth them of the truth of what is preached, and de- 
 clared in the demonstration of the Spirit ; and are 
 made capable truly to receive what is so preached and 
 testified unto them, which otherwise they could not by 
 their mere natural capacities. On this wise, or to this 
 effect, the Light within and the doctrine of the Light, 
 being argued for on our parts, the said Richard Town- 
 send confessed, that there is an echo in men's con- 
 sciences, answering to the ministry of the Gospel ; and 
 this echo he somewhat insisted upon, but could not ab- 
 solutely deny the Principle of Light in men, being spi- 
 ritual. 
 
 Howbeit, after our discourse with him, with our 
 Christian instructions then given, he took these things 
 into farther and deeper consideration, insomuch that 
 Truth took such place in him and bore such weight, 
 that, some time after, he came into society with our 
 Friends, not only to profess the Truth he had question- 
 ed, but also to bear witness thereunto in conversation 
 and public testimony. 
 
 In the former part of the summer, in the year 1655, 
 I had a very remarkable, and indeed memorable meet- 
 ing, in High-Sutrolk, at Charsfield, a few miles from 
 Woodbridge, where George Fox the younger then lived 
 with his father ; and it was the first meeting of Friends 
 that was on that side of the country, and the largest 
 that 1 had had before in High-Suifolk : I had no com- 
 panion then in the ministry with me, but some Friends 
 from Mendlesham side. Unto that meeting there was 
 a very great resort of people about the country of divers 
 sorts; and the Lord having prepared the hearts of
 
 G. WHITEUEAD. 77 
 
 many of them, to seek after and receive the Truth, 
 they came with good intentions and desires. 
 
 We had the meeting in an orchard or yard ; it be- 
 gan before mid-day, and I had a stool to stand upon. 
 After I had waited upon the Lord a little space, for his 
 Power to arise, and give me strength to stand up in tes- 
 timony, the people being in great expectation to hear 
 and observe what might be declared, the Lord was 
 graciously pleased to give me strength and abihty in his 
 Name, to bear a living and faithful testimony accord- 
 ing to the openings and discoveries given me by his 
 Free Spirit, and the ability and gift received of him to 
 preach the everlasting Gospel, in the Name and Power 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ ; and agreeable also to the 
 Scriptures of Truth, the testimonies of the holy pro- 
 phets, Christ Jesus, and his apostles. I was wonder- 
 fully assisted and enlarged in my testimony for Him 
 and his blessed Gospel Truth, insomuch that 1 was en- 
 abled to stand upon the stool, though slippery, near five 
 hours that day, preaching the Truth, and opening those 
 things which concerned the kingdom of Christ and of 
 God, and men's everlasting salvation. And many were 
 that day livingly touched in their hearts, and effectually 
 convinced in their consciences of the Truth then sin- 
 cerely and livingly declared unto them in the power and 
 demonstration of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 After I had declared for some time, one John Burch, 
 a preacher among the Baptists, appeared to make some 
 objections about the ordinances, as water baptism, &,c. 
 and also about the coming of Christ in person. I being 
 called unto a spiritual ministry, in order to bring people 
 out of shadows to the substance, and to know Christ in 
 Spirit, and not after the flesh, nor to rest only in a lite- 
 ral knowledge of Christ, but that they might know him 
 livingly and inwardly after the Spirit ; 1 gave answer 
 to him, in the spirit of meekness, for his better infor- 
 mation, and instruction in the way of God more perfect- 
 ly than either John's Baptism, outward shadows, or 
 mere literal knowledge could bring any one to. 
 
 G 2
 
 78 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 In a little time John was silent, and seemed somewhat 
 satisfied, and after farther and serious consideration, 
 came to receive the Truth in an inward sight and sense 
 of the power thereof, insomuch that he laid down his 
 former preaching and profession, and became willing to 
 wait upon the Lord among Friends in silence. And 
 after some years, he was raised up to bear testimony 
 to the Light, the Spirit, and Power of Christ Jesus ; 
 and so came to be a minister thereof, in order to bring 
 people into the knowledge of Christ and his spiritual 
 baptism in them. In his ministry, the said John Burch 
 was very serviceable, especially in his latter days : he 
 kept in the faith of Christ ; and in love and unity ended 
 his days in peace. 
 
 But to return to the said remarkable and memorable 
 meeting ; in the latter part thereof, came several noted 
 priests, who were pastors and teachers among the peo- 
 ple called Independents, as Francis Woodell, and one 
 
 Habergham, with some others, and made some 
 
 objections and questionings; both the people and John 
 Burch and company being very attentive, and observ- 
 ing to see what work they would make of it against us. 
 
 They came wrongfully prepossessed and prejudiced 
 against us, that we denied the Holy Scriptures, Christ, 
 his ordinances, church and ministry. But in a httle 
 discourse with them, I perceived they were to seek, 
 being ignorant of our Christian principles and doctrine; 
 but what they had conceived against us, seemed chiefly 
 to proceed from the false and injurious reports of our 
 adversaries, whereby we had been rendered so mon- 
 strous, so anti-christian, and anti-scriptural, in religion 
 and profession, that they thought they might easily 
 deal with us, and run us down: but such sort of pre- 
 judging, and condemning people, caused those opposers, 
 and many others, to go but lamely to work against us ; 
 and the clearness of our Christian confessions and scrip- 
 tural vindications, has many times put a damp upon 
 their spirits when they have come upon trial face to 
 face ; as it appeared at that time with the said Inde-
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 79 
 
 pendent ministers ; and as I have known in many dis- 
 putes which I have been concerned in, with opposers 
 and adversaries, how quickly they have been quashed, 
 when they have appeared against us from false reports, 
 and the authorities of envious adversaries ; which they 
 who are credulous of, will gain no credit by, especially 
 when they will judge or condemn others upon such 
 reports and misrepresentations : for this T have often 
 observed in religious controversies or disputes, my op- 
 ponent could give me no greater advantage against 
 him, than by making use of false reports, or authorities 
 of malicious persons, or their books ; or by his being 
 given to passion, anger, or fury, which blind men's 
 minds, and cloud their reason and understandings. 
 
 But the aforesaid ministers, however prepossessed, 
 carried themselves tolerably moderate towards me and 
 our Friends, at the said nieeting ; and after they were 
 clearly and plainly answered, and their expectations of 
 getting any advantage against us or our doctrine frus- 
 trated, they departed ; and the Truth greatly gained 
 ground that day, and at that meeting ; and many were 
 truly convinced, and their hearts turned to God, his 
 Grace, and Truth. 
 
 That was the first and foundation-meeting which 
 we had on that side of High-Suffolk, and which ever 
 since has continued in those parts; as after that, for a 
 long time at Dalingho, at Robert Mann's ; at John 
 Bennet's, at Bradfield ; and at William Fiddeman's, 
 and sometimes at Arthur Goddard's, all on that side the 
 country, a few miles from Woodbridge. These were 
 honest, loving Friends, who thus early received the 
 blessed Truth and Friends, and meetings at their 
 houses, and continued so to the end of their days ; some 
 years after the meeting was settled at Woodbridge. 
 
 A little while after the said meeting, Richard Hub- 
 berthorn met me in High-Suffolk, and we had a good, 
 large, and quiet meeting, at the same place, to which 
 came some of the said ministers, and other professors ; 
 we met with no great opposition from them, there be-
 
 80 MEMOIRS or 
 
 ing some more moderately inquisitive than others; 
 besides they could not tell what to make of the Light 
 within, or immortal Seed in man, or our doctrine 
 thereof, though scriptural ; yet in those days, those 
 professing Independent ministers were in high esteem, 
 being paramount, and divers of them parish priests. 
 
 Tilings then were quietly managed to the end of the 
 meeting, and the Truth still gained ground ; and many 
 grew weary of the priests, and more and more left 
 them and their formal worship, and resorted to our 
 meeting, both in that county and in Norfolk ; and many 
 meetings of our Friends came to be settled in those 
 places. 
 
 After considerable labour and service in testimony 
 for the Truth and Gospel of Christ Jesus, in the years 
 1654 and 1055, besides the imprisonment in Norwich 
 before related, my dear friend Richard Clayton and I 
 meeting again in Iligh Suffolk, in the 5th month, 1055, 
 travelled together to Colchester; where James Parnel, 
 that early servant of Christ, was prisoner in the castle, 
 he being committed but a little time before we visited 
 him in prison. He was given up to suffer for his faith- 
 ful testimony, was comforted in our visit ; and we were 
 glad to see him so well. So we travelled forward on 
 the road toward London, being desirous to sec our bre- 
 thren and friends in that city, if the Lord had permit- 
 ted. We went that day from the White Elm near 
 Ipswich, to near Chelmsford on foot, being nearly forty 
 miles; and in the road, meeting with our dear friend 
 and brother George Fox, and Amos Stoddard, coming 
 from London into Essex, were very glad to see them ; 
 insomuch that our desires of going forward were in 
 part answered for that time ; and we were willing to 
 stay with them at some meetings in Essex ; which we 
 did, as at Great Coggeshall and Lexden near Colches- 
 ter, where George Fox gave large testimony to the 
 Truth of Christ, and against the world's corruptions. 
 
 On the first-day of the week following, being the 29th 
 day of the 5th month, 1 055, 1 had a very good meeting
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 81 
 
 at South-Halsted, in John Isaac's barn, Richard Clay- 
 ton being with me ; and John Harwood a Yorkshire 
 man, having met us in Essex, M'as minded to travel a 
 little with us. At that meeting the Lord greatly en- 
 larged my heart, in his Gospel testimony toward that 
 people ; for the hearts of many of them were well-dis- 
 posed and inclined toward God and his blessed Truth: 
 and he, by his invisible power, had opened a door of 
 entrance among them, as well as a door of utterance 
 unto them. James Parnel had been instrumental to 
 convince divers in those parts that summer, before his 
 imprisonment at Colchester ; and by his testimony and 
 living ministry, divers professors were shaken, and at a 
 loss in their professions and notions which they had 
 gathered in their heads, without experience of a true 
 heart work by the power of Christ : for profession and 
 talk of religion and church, did greatly abound in those 
 days, as well as pride and self-conceit, which the Lord 
 was about to stain and abase, as he manifestly did in a 
 short time after ; for those summer shows of religion 
 would not endure a stormy winter. 
 
 I must confess to the glory of God in my own self- 
 abasement, and his bearing sway over my will and 
 affections, by his own power, wisdom, and providence, 
 1 was at that time prevented from going to London, to 
 visit my brethren and friends there, according to my 
 own desire and affection ; the Lord having then more 
 work and service, as well as suflering for me to ga 
 through in the country, and particularly in the county 
 of Suffolk, before I might obtain my desire of going to 
 London : having had blessed and effectual service, by 
 the special assistance of the Lord's power in Norfolk 
 and in High-Suffolk, I must now be a sufferer in Low- 
 Suffolk, and bear my testimony for Him, in a hard con- 
 finement and inhuman treatment in prison ; for in those 
 days among the exercises which befel many of us, whom 
 the Lord so early called, and sent forth to preach the 
 Gospel of repentance unto life and salvation, we were
 
 82 MEMOIRS, &:c. 
 
 led one while to run to and fro, that knowledge might 
 increase among people, in the ways and dealings of the 
 Lord ; another while suddenly were permitted to be 
 taken and imprisoned, strictly confined, and severely 
 used ; as the subsequent accounts may in part show, 
 and also what manner of spirit did rule in and influence 
 some sorts of men, under high professions, and great 
 pretensions of religion and Christianity ; and how un- 
 christian they were in practice.
 
 ( 83 ) 
 
 SECTION IV. 
 
 G. W. and others imprisoned in Edmunds-Bury gaol — released by 
 order from the Protf ^tor — Visits London, and returns into Essex 
 and Suffolk — Cruelly whipped at Nayland, when not 21 years of 
 age — Travels afterwards in Essex, Suffolk, Huntingdonshire, 
 Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, and Hereford- 
 shire till the middle of the year 1637. 
 
 Of the severe imprisonment referred to it the pre- 
 ceding chapter, the author has given a very minute ac- 
 count, the substance of which will be found in the fol- 
 lowing summary. 
 
 Richard Clayton and John Harwood appear to have 
 accompanied George Whitehead into Suffolk ; and in 
 passing through the town of Bures, Richard Clayton 
 thought it his duty to affix a paper upon the steeple- 
 house door, on which several passages of Scripture 
 were written, to show " the evil fruits, covetousness, 
 and corruption of false teachers and leaders." His 
 companions passed on a little way whilst he was put- 
 ting up the paper ; but observing that some people 
 were collected about him, they returned, and exhorted 
 them " to fear God and turn from the evil of their 
 ways," 
 
 Whilst they were speaking, a constable of the place 
 arrived, who took George Whitehead and John Har- 
 wood before a justice of the peace. He, though unable 
 to show any law which they had broken, committed them 
 to Edmunds-Bury gaol, to take their trial at the ses- 
 sions. Richard Clayton was taken before the same 
 magistrate, who ordered him to be whipped in the 
 town, and sent out of it with a pass ; which was accord- 
 ingly done. 
 
 After laying between two and three months in gaol 
 the session arrived, when George Whitehead and John
 
 84 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 Harwood were tried as common disturbers of the peace. 
 In the commitment, George Whitehead had been de- 
 scribed as an idle wandering fellow from Orton in Cum- 
 berland ; but the indictment was preferred against 
 George Whitehead and John Harwood as labourers of 
 Bures ; and they were accused of having several times 
 disturbed the magistrates and mi-^isters; and with 
 having been several days and times at Bures before 
 they were taken prisoners. But neither the obvious 
 error in the description of the prisoners, nor the entire 
 want of proof of the charge, could avail any thing in 
 their favour. 
 
 They were scarcely permitted to speak ; and the 
 justice who committed them and who was on the bench, 
 acted as an accuser, and threatened the gaoler to fine 
 him forty shillings, if he did not silence them when they 
 attempted to answer the chargesbrought against them. 
 The jury complied with the wishes of the magistrates, 
 and brought in a verdict that they were guilty accord- 
 ing to the manner and form of the indictment ; .and 
 they were sentenced to pay a fine of twenty nobles 
 each. 
 
 As they would have considered the payment of this 
 fine an acknowledgment of guilt, Ihey refused the pay- 
 ment of it and were returned to their prison, where 
 they continued twelve months, and endured, as we shall 
 afterwards find, extreme privations and sufferings. 
 
 As one of the magistrates was passing out of the 
 session-house, he was met by a young man of the name 
 of George Fox, who had recently been convinced of 
 Friends' principles, and who had witnessed the flagrant 
 injustice on the part of tiic magistrates. Addressing 
 himself to the individual who was now passing him, he 
 ■warned him to repent of his unjust conduct that day, 
 adding, that " if he did not, he could not escape the 
 just judgments of God.*' The justice immediately took 
 hold of him, and causing him to be haled before the 
 bench, accused him and said he should go to prison, 
 unless he would find securities to appear at the next
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 85 
 
 sessions; though he showed no law which George Fox 
 had transgressed. 
 
 To prison he was accordingly sent ; and there with 
 his friends partook of the same hardships in the com- 
 mon gaol for above twelve months ; for though at the 
 ensuing sessions, no indictment was preferred against 
 him, he was nevertheless remanded to prison to be left 
 there unless he could find sureties for his appearance 
 at the following sessions; and when these arrived, 
 although no accuser appeared against him, he was still 
 detained in prison. 
 
 " So arbitrary against us," says George Whitehead, 
 " were our persecutors in their proceedings ; though 
 professors both of Christian religion and justice, and 
 professing to act in the name and behalf of the Lord 
 Protector." 
 
 Their resolute opposition to whatever they deemed 
 to be wrong, made the early Friends no less obnoxious 
 to the keepers of prisons than to the magistrates who 
 committed them. Against vice and extortion in every 
 form they held forth a bold and patient testimony. Pri- 
 sons were then in a very wretched state ; and with 
 every alleviation, confinement in them was a severe 
 punishment ; but it was very highly aggravated by the 
 treatment which our early Friends generally met with. 
 
 Of this the treatment of George Whitehead and his 
 companions in Edmunds-Bury gaol, afl?brds a striking 
 example. 
 
 " After two of us," says he, " were first sent to pri- 
 son, we had a lodging in an upper room for about two 
 or three weeks, and then understanding that the gaoler 
 would exact upon us for rent, and expecting our con- 
 finement might be of long continuance, we desired a 
 free prison, whereupon we were turned into the com- 
 mon ward among felons ; where, after continuance a 
 few weeks, Samuel Duncan in compassion to us, pri- 
 vately gave the gaoler some money to let us lodge from 
 
 VOL. I. H
 
 86 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 the felons. But when the time for that money was 
 ended, the gaoler insisted upon his old exaction of four- 
 pence a night from each of us, which we were neither 
 free to yield to, nor to suffer any of our friends to be 
 charged with ; but again desired a free prison : and 
 thereupon we were again turned into the common 
 ward. In the interim, whilst we lodged above, two 
 notorious robbers, who were of that company that had 
 robbed Sir George Wyninif 's house, and were condemn- 
 ed at the assizes before, broke prison, and made their 
 escape, leaving their irons and shackles behind them ; 
 so that we were glad we were not present in the com- 
 mon ward at the time, for they were desperate fellows, 
 and made their escape for their lives. We esteemed it 
 a providence, that the said Friend had for that little 
 time procured our lodging apart from the felons. 
 
 " Although we were now settled in the common ward 
 among felons, in a low dungeon-like place, under a 
 market-house, our poor lodging being upon rye straw, 
 on a damp earthen floor, we were therewith content, 
 and the place was sanctified to us. But not being wil- 
 ling to contribute to the gaoler's extortion, nor free to 
 buy any of his beer, (he keeping a taphouse, and divers 
 of his prisoners often drunk,) his anger and rage grew 
 very much against us, after we were so many as five 
 sent to prison successively one after another, and all in 
 the common ward, drinking only water. 
 
 " That which he appeared most enraged against us 
 for, was because we frequently testified and cried 
 against, the foul and horrid sins of drunkenness, swear- 
 ing, and other disorders and abuses among the prisoners; 
 and which the gaoler's servants occasioned, by his suf- 
 fering their excessive drinking of strong beer for his 
 ungodly gain. 
 
 *' But the Lord stirred us up the more zealously to 
 cry aloud against the wickedness of the gaoler, his ser- 
 vants, and the prisoners, for these gross evils ; because 
 the gaoler made a profession of religion and piety, call- 
 ing in the prisoners on first days, towards evening, to
 
 G. WniTEIIEAD. 87 
 
 instruct them, and exercise his sort of devotion among 
 them. And because I told him of his hypocrisy there- 
 in, his fruits being so very contrary, his daughter was 
 offended, saying : ' What ! call my father a hypocrite, 
 who has been a saint forty years V 
 
 " Many times hath the said gaoler shamefully abus- 
 ed us both in w^ords and actions, whereby his servants, 
 his tapster and turnkey, and some of his drunken pri- 
 soners, took the greater encouragement to follow his 
 example ; for his tapster hath often grossly abused us, 
 both by words, furious attempts, and violent actions. 
 
 " The said tapster not only threatened us, but cast a 
 stone violently, whereby he hit one, and in his rage 
 took up a stool to have cast at some of us, but was 
 prevented by one present taking hold of it ; and not 
 only so, but was often slandering and beating some of 
 us on the faces, and also violently buffetting with his 
 fists, for no other cause, but reprehending his and their 
 wickedness, disorders and abuses. 
 
 *' Some of the prisoners also have often abused us, by 
 taking away our food ; alleging the gaoler gave them 
 leave so to do, and thereby taking occasion to do us 
 mischief; several times beating some of us, stoning, 
 despitefully using us, threatening to kill, and to knock 
 some of us on the head. 
 
 " One said ; ' If he did kill us, he should not be hang- 
 ed for it ; and that there was no law for us if he did 
 kill us ;' and being drunk with the gaoler's strong beer, 
 he kicked and wounded some of us on the legs, and 
 greatly abused us, knowing it w^as against our principle 
 and practice to tight or beat him again ; which we 
 could easily have done, and the rest of the gaoler's 
 drunkards that abused us, if our principle would have 
 allowed, being five of us, mostly able and lively young 
 men ; but we esteemed it greater valour, and more 
 Christian, patiently to sufTer such injuries for Christ, 
 than to fight for Him, or avenge ourselves ; and rather, 
 when smitten on one cheek, to turn the other, than to 
 smite again. The said drunken prisoner who had so
 
 88 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 abused us, when he was a little sober, confessed, that 
 the gaoler made him worse than he would have been 
 against us. 
 
 " But by such inhuman usage, the gaoler could not 
 force our compliance with his covetous designs or cor- 
 rupt practices." 
 
 Very frequently were the prisoners struck with such 
 violence by the gaoler or his agents, that the blood 
 gushed from their mouths and noses ; and after they 
 had been more than thirty weeks in prison, the gaoler 
 demanded of them fourteen pence a week each for 
 their accommodation, although on their demanding a 
 free prison, soon after they came in, he had taken away 
 their bed clothes, their boxes in which they had food, 
 linen, and other things, and even their night caps, and 
 had left them nothing but straw to lie upon. As the 
 prisoners would not comply with the unjust demands of 
 
 the gnoler, h© became otill morp cnrngprl against them ; 
 
 and they continuing to testify against the drunkenness 
 and other vices which he suffered and indeed promot- 
 ed, to secure his own interest,* he threatened to lock 
 them up in a low nasty room ; and soon after did put 
 four of the prisoners, of whom George Whitehead was 
 one, into this place. There was also in a part of the 
 prison a dismal dungeon, into which with two of his 
 companions he was let down by a ladder. The place 
 was about four yards deep under ground, very dark, 
 and but little compass at the bottom ; and in the midst 
 was an iron grate with bars above a foot distance, ex- 
 tending over a pitor hole, they knew not how deep ; " but 
 being warned thereof," says the author, by a woman, 
 who saw us put down and pitied us, we kept near the 
 sides of the dungeon that we might not fall into the 
 
 * It was the general practice at this timefor the gaoler to sell ale, 
 wine and spirits ; and to derive from this trade a great part of his 
 emolument. An act of parliament in the 24th year of Geo. II. 
 prohibited this practice.
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 89 
 
 pit; and there we were detained nearly four hours, 
 singing praises to the Lord our God in the sweet enjoy- 
 ment and Hving sense of his glorious presence ; being 
 nothing terrified or dismayed at their cruelties; but 
 cheerfully resigned in the will of the Lord to suffer for 
 his name and Truth's sake, if they had left us to perish 
 in that dark, dismal, and stinking dungeon. 
 
 " Upon the same day that we were in the dungeon, 
 several of our friends came to visit us from Norwich, 
 Colchester, and other places ; but were not suffered to 
 come to us ; — and divers other times we hcive been thus 
 dealt with ; and not only so, but when they have come 
 to the prison door or window, they have had water cast 
 upon them, by some of the gaoler's company ; he pre- 
 tending that he had orders from the justices, that none 
 of our friends should come to us : nevertheless both he 
 and his wife told them, that if they would pay the key- 
 turner six-pence, or four-pence a piece, he would let 
 them come to us; but they refused to gratify his cov- 
 etousness." 
 
 At length however, through the medium of the 
 Friends in London, an account of the sufferings of the 
 prisoners was laid before the Protector ; and, in conse- 
 quence, an order was given to have the matters com- 
 plained of inquired into. The examination was con- 
 ducted by some neighbouring justices, one of whom 
 showed a decided inclination to the gaoler's cause ; and 
 though the principal charges were proved, yet this jus- 
 tice was disposed to extenuate the conduct of the gaoler, 
 on the ground of their having reproved him for his 
 cruelty. Some of the justices, however, did not hesi- 
 tate to blame the gaoler's conduct, and warned him 
 not to suffer his servants to abuse the prisoners ; as if 
 they did so, they would send his servants to Ipswich 
 gaol. They also commended George Whitehead's 
 moderation on the occasion. 
 
 The exposure of the gaoler's cruelty in these exa- 
 minations, though it did not lead to their release, had a 
 
 H 2
 
 90 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 considerable influence upon their treatment during the 
 remainder of their confinement; and their friends in 
 London, made frequent appUcation to Oliver Cromwell 
 for their liberation. He was particularly applied to by 
 a waiting gentlewoman in his family, of the name of 
 Mary Sanders.* She was a Friend, and often availed 
 herself of opportunities to remind the Protector of the 
 suffering situation of the Friends in prison. At length, 
 after George Whitehead had been fifteen months a pri- 
 soner, an order was made by the Protector and council, 
 for the release of the Quakers imprisoned at Colchester, 
 Edmunds-Bury, and Ipswich ; and it was referred to 
 Sir Francis Russell to see to the execution of the order. 
 Sir Francis appears to have performed his task with 
 alacrity ; and George Whitehead says : 
 
 " In kindness to us he gave us an order or warrant 
 to produce in our defence, if there should be occasion ; 
 that we might travel without interruption, not confining 
 us to go to our respective homes. He was a conside- 
 rate tender spirited man, and shewed compassion to- 
 wards us and our Friends who were sufferers for con- 
 science' sake. 
 
 George Whitehead considered Sir Francis Russell to 
 be decidedly against persecution ; and going near his 
 residence in the year 1G59, he called upon him; and 
 was entertained with religious and friendly discourse, 
 in the course of which Sir Francis intimated, that he 
 had been very adverse to the severity James Naylor 
 had met with, when prosecuted before the parliament 
 in 1656. 
 
 George Whitehead was now once more at liberty to 
 visit his friends, and exercise himself in the vocation 
 of a Christian minister. But before we pursue the 
 course of his narrative, we must not omit the commem- 
 
 * This person, and some other members of the Protector's fa- 
 mily, were convinced of the principles of Friends, in a visit paid to 
 him by Francis Howgill.
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 91 
 
 oration which he makes of the Lords mercies, to him- 
 self and his fellow prisoners, during their severe im- 
 prisonment in Bury gaol. 
 
 " 1 am, says he, *' truly and humbly thankful to the 
 Lord our God, in remembrance of his great kindness to 
 us; how wonderfully he supported and comforted us, 
 through and overall our tribulations, strait confinement, 
 and ill usage; and preserved us in bodily health, in the 
 comfortable enjoyment of his glorious Divine Power 
 and Presence, several of us have often been made to 
 sing aloud in praise to his glorious Name ; yea, his high 
 praises have been in our mouths oftentimes, to the 
 great amazement and astonishment of the malefactors 
 shut up in the same ward with us. When walking 
 therein, our hearts have been lifted up in living praise 
 to the Lord, often for several hours together, with 
 voices of melody. O ! the sweet presence and power of 
 the Lord our God! how precious to be enjoyed in 
 prisons, and dungeons, and strait confinements ! O ! my 
 soul ! bless thou the Lord and for ever praise his ex- 
 cellent name, for the true inward sense and experience 
 thou hast often and long had, and still hast of his Divine 
 Power, and unspeakable goodness ! Glory and dominion 
 be to our God, and to the Lamb that sits upon the 
 throne, for ever and ever ! Let the praise be unto Him, 
 in whom is our help, salvation, and strength ! 
 
 " Although we were confined to a noisome common 
 ward, and strait stinking yard, yet the Lord by his 
 power so sanctified the confinement to me, that 1 had 
 great peace, comfort, and sweet solace, and was some- 
 times transported and wrapt up in spirit, as if in a 
 pleasant field, having the fragrant scent, and sweet 
 smell of flowers and things growing therein, though I 
 was not in an ecstacy or trance, my senses being affect- 
 ed therewith ; so that the Lord made bitter things 
 sweet unto me, and hardships easy ; although we were 
 sensible our persecutors and oppressors were so cruel 
 toward us, that they cared not if we had all perished 
 in that gaol. But our trust and confidence was in the
 
 92 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 name of the Lord Jehovah, in whom is everlasting 
 strength and safety : to whom be everlasting glory, 
 dominion, and praise, world without end ! 
 
 " I humbly hope and trust in the Lord, T shall never 
 forget his loving- kindness and mercy shown unto me, in 
 those cloudy days of distress and a/iliction." 
 
 We shall now pursue, with but little curtailment, 
 George Whitehead's own narrative. 
 
 " Before the winter in 1656 was ended, the Lord 
 gave me an opportunity to visit Friends at London, of 
 which before my imprisonment at Edmunds-Bury, I 
 was prevented. That visit was very acceptable to 
 Friends there, and I had very good service in and 
 through the meetings, in the ministry and demonstra- 
 tion of the Holy Spirit and Truth of Christ ; and divers 
 were convinced thereby, while I was among them, 
 which was not long; but I was concerned to return in- 
 to Essex, Suffolk, &c. And having visited meetings at 
 Colchester, Coggeshall, and other parts of Essex, as in 
 Denge Hundred, and divers parts of the county, and 
 also at Sudbury, and Haverhill, and other places in 
 Suffolk. 
 
 " A concern fell upon me to have a meeting at Saf- 
 fron -Waldcn, where I had a considerably large and 
 good meeting ; though toward the conclusion, some 
 professors made a little opposition, but were soon an- 
 swered and silenced. Yet notwithstanding I and some 
 Friends of Essex being at an inn that evening, and at 
 supper in came the bailiff of the town with a constable 
 or some officer, and others with them, and caused me 
 to be taken away, set in the stocks, and there kept for 
 some time in the night, before they let me out ; and 
 this without any law, or any crime laid to my charge, 
 but only out of a peevish humour, and their own envi- 
 ous wills, and to cast causeless contempt upon me and 
 my friends. I wrote to the bailiff next morning, to 
 know if he had any matter of fact against me, or any 
 more to say to me ; but he gave me no answer, so I
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 93 
 
 went away thence quietly to Cambridge, and parts ad- 
 jacent, and visited meetings in the love of God to and 
 fro, in the counties; taking a circuit until I returned 
 into Essex, to Colchester, &.c. 
 
 " I had a meeting at Nayland in Suffolk, not far from 
 Colchester, where the common people were so rude, 
 that they would not sutler the meeting to be quiet 
 within doors, but were ready in appearance, to pull 
 down the house, which was but small ; whereupon we 
 drew out the meeting into a meadow ground, near the 
 town's end on the Essex side. The meeting was large, 
 and 1 had a good and full opportunity to declare and de- 
 monstrate the living Truth, with power and dominion 
 given mc of God ; whose power was over all, and came 
 so over the meeting, that it was quiet, though it was 
 held for near three hours together, and the season 
 somewhat cold. 
 
 " That morning before the meeting, the Friend of 
 the house where it was nppnintorl at Nayland, came to 
 me weeping, and under trouble, poor man ! because 
 some wicked fellows of the town had threatened to kill 
 me, if I had a meeting there. 1 pitied the man, for 
 that he had let in such fears from their cruel threats, 
 and told him, I did not fear them ; I was given up in 
 the will of God, in whose hands my life was, and they 
 should do no more than he permitted them : and 1 
 doubted not but the Lord would restrain them ; and 
 their envy and wicked purposes ; and I would not dis- 
 appoint the said meeting, nor alter the appointment 
 thereof. So I encouraged the poor Friend against his 
 fears ; and the Lord appeared for me both in his ser- 
 vice, and in my own and friend's preservation, by his 
 divine power ; that giving us dominion, and a quiet 
 meeting, as before related. Let the dominion, glory 
 and praise, be ascribed and returned to him for ever \ 
 
 " After a few weeks the Lord again laid a concern 
 upon me to have another meeting at Nayland aforesaid, 
 which accordingly was appointed at the same Friend's 
 house where the first was. But this second meeting
 
 94 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 was held in his yard or little orchard, unto which divers 
 Friends of Colchester, and other places in Essex and 
 Sufiblk came. After we had for some time waited upon 
 the Lord in silence, I was moved to stand up on a stool, 
 and preach the everlasting Gospel, and to testify against 
 sin and wickedness, against the beast and false prophet, 
 against the devil's persecuting power and ministry, &c. 
 After I had for a considerable time declared the truth 
 in the meeting, a person, a pretended gentleman, came 
 rushing in with a constable and rude company, and with 
 violence pulled me down ; and some of them, with the 
 constable, had me to Assington, to our old adversary, 
 John Gurden, who presently began to threaten me. 1 
 desired his moderation to hear me before he passed 
 judgment : ' You are a moderate rogue,' said he. ' Mod- 
 erate rogue!' said I, 'such language doth not become 
 a justice of peace, especially one professing Christiani- 
 ty.' He in a great fury highly threatened me, by which 
 1 apprehended he then designed to lay me fast in gaol 
 again, as he had caused several of us deeply to suffer : 
 after his angry threats, he returned into his parlour, 
 where his son and the priest of the parish were to con- 
 sult. 
 
 " In the interim I sat in his hall, waiting upon the 
 Lord, and some Friends with me ; and then 1 secretly 
 breathed in spirit, that if it might stand with his will, 
 he would not then permit that persecutor to send me 
 to Bury gaol, where I and others had so lately, and for 
 a long time deeply suffered ; for his malice ended not in 
 that hard imprisonment of ours. Whereupon the Lord 
 was pleased to answer my desire, and immediately to 
 show me that he should not send me to prison, but 
 cause me to suffer by stripes ; whereupon I was greatly 
 refreshed, strengthened, and given up in the will of the 
 Lord, patiently to endure that punishment, the invidi- 
 ous persecutor was permitted to inflict upon me, it 
 being for Christ's sake, and his Gospel truth ; wherein 
 1 had great peace and strong consolation in Him for 
 whose sake I suffered,
 
 C. WHITEHEAD. 95 
 
 " Being soon called into the parlour before the said 
 John Gurden, and his son Robert, I was examined by 
 divers questions, as of my name, country, and reason of 
 travelling abroad, &c. Unto which I gave particular 
 answers, and plainly told him and those present, how 
 God would overturn them, and take away their power 
 who were persecutors and oppressors of his servants, or 
 seed ; and withal, that God would limit him, i. e. John 
 Gurden, that he should not effect all his evil designs, or 
 purposes. Whereupon deridingly he bid : ' Go, Quake.' 
 I said : ' Dost thou then despise quaking?' He answered, 
 * Yes ; I do despise quaking.' i said: * Then thou despi- 
 seth that which the word of the Lord hath commanded.' 
 ' How prove you that V said he. * Bring me a Bible,' 
 said I : a Bible being there, I showed him Ezekiel xii. 1 7, 
 1 8. • Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying : 
 Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy 
 water with trembling and with carefulness.' Where- 
 upon he could not vindicate his despising quaking. 
 
 " His clerk took part of my examination in writing 
 as he ordered him, which being read, John Gurden re- 
 quired me to sign it. I signified that it was deficient, 
 or lamely taken : howbeit, he urged me to sign it. 
 Then I took pen, and began to write my exception 
 against the deficiency of the relation, intending to sign 
 the same at the bottom ; but John Gurden plucked the 
 pen out of my hand, and said, 1 should write nothing 
 but my name, which I positively refused ; saying, if he 
 would not suffer me to write my distinction, he ought 
 not to impose upon me to sign a relation, which was but 
 in part true. 
 
 '* When thus treated, and being ordered to withdraw 
 into the hall, John Gurden and his son directed the clerk 
 to draw up a warrant, to have me severely whipped 
 next day at Nay land ; being the town where I was 
 taken and haled out of the meeting. John Gurden 
 came out to me into the hall, and highly threatened 
 me again, having a law book in his hand, which I took 
 to be Dalton's justice of peace, and there read some
 
 96 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 abstract of an ancient statute, or law, against vagrants, 
 sturdy beggars, idle and dissolute persons, loiterers, 
 pedlars, tinkers, &c. with the penalties, &c. intimating 
 to me, that they had ordered me to be whipped at Nay- 
 land ; and if I came again into that country I should 
 be branded in the shoulder for a rogue ; but if I came 
 the third time, I should be hanged. 1 answered : " I 
 am no such person as thou hast mentioned ; thou art 
 an old man, and going to thy grave ; thou dost not 
 know how soon the Lord may put an end to thy days, 
 and disappoint thee of thy evil designs against me : 
 however 1 fear not thy threats ; if the Lord whom 1 
 serve, require my return into these parts, I must obey 
 Him.' ' I know I am an old man,' said he : ' aye,' said 
 I, * thou art old in iniquity ; it is high time for thee to 
 repent.' 
 
 " 1 was called to hear their warrant for my punish- 
 ment read, and the constable to have his charge of exe- 
 cution given him, which being read, Robert Gurden 
 charged the constable to see their warrant executed 
 upon me to the purpose, at his peril. I told him 1 could 
 expect no better from him, who falsely swore against 
 Henry Marshall, an honest man, at the quarter-sessions, 
 that he said Christ was a vagabond ; whereupon Henry 
 was wrongfully fined as a blasphemer, and kept in 
 gaol with us at Edmunds-Bury, nigh twelve months ; 
 his words being most grossly perverted, quite contrary 
 to what he said when taken prisoner ; for being accus- 
 ed for a vagabond or vagrant, Henry told them that 
 Cain was a vagabond, though he had a city upon earth ; 
 but Christ was no vagabond, though He had not where- 
 on to lay his head. How contrary was this to the in- 
 formation given upon oath against him at the sessions ! 
 
 " The warrant being signed and sealed by the father 
 and the son, I was returned back to Nayland, in order 
 to endure the execution thereof the next day. So that 
 night 1 lodged at a public house, where 1 rested quietly 
 in much peace.
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 97 
 
 A COPY OF THE WARRANT AND PASS. 
 
 To all constables, and all other officers whom it may 
 concern, and to every of them. 
 
 ' Be it remembered, that one George Whitehead, a 
 young man about twenty years of age, who confesseth 
 himself to have been born at Orton in Westmoreland, 
 being this present day found vagrant and wandering at 
 Nayland, in this county, contrary to the laws of this 
 nation, and being thereupon brought before us, two 
 justices of the peace for this county, is by us ordered to 
 be openly whipped at Nayland aforesaid, till his body 
 be bloody, as the law in such case enjoineth. And he 
 is to pass thence from parish to parish, by the officers 
 thereof, the next way to Orton aforesaid, before the 
 first day of June now next ensuing. Dated at Assing- 
 ton, in this county of Suffolk, the first day of April, 
 1G57.' 
 
 " The said warrant was the next day after its date, 
 put in severe execution by a foolish fellow, whom the 
 constable, &-c. got to do it. When the constable had 
 stripped me above the waist, which he could not per- 
 suade myself to do, but I let them act their own cruelty, 
 the foolish fellow with a long sharp whip, laid on so vio- 
 lently, that thereby he cut and wounded both my back 
 and breast with long stripes, tearing the skin and shed- 
 ding blood, till some people present cried out to stop 
 him ; for there was a great number present, it being in 
 a public place, like a market place, in the street ; and 
 many wept to see their cruelty ; yet by the Lord's 
 Power, I was enabled cheerfully to bear it all with pa- 
 tience, great comfort, and rejoicing, even in the very 
 time of the execution ; whereby many were amazed 
 and smitten. How many stripes I had, I do not well 
 know, but remember that the marks thereof were to 
 be seen a long time after, both on my back and breast. 
 
 " It is also very memorable to me, how wonderfully 
 the Lord, by his Divine Power, supported me, even at 
 
 VOL. I. 1
 
 98 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 that very instant, while they were inflicting their 
 cruelty and punishment upon my body ; that even then 
 my spirit was raised, and my mouth opened to sing aloud 
 in praises to the Lord, my God, for that He counted me 
 worthy to suffer for his Name and Truth's sake. 
 
 " When the hand of the executioner was stayed from 
 beating me, by the cry or call that was made to stop 
 him, 1 told the people that it was a proof of a minister 
 of Christ, patiently to endure afllictions, pei'secutions, 
 stripes, and imprisonments, according as the holy apos- 
 tle testifies : " Approving ourselves as the ministers of 
 God in much patience, in afflictions, in stripes, in im- 
 prisonments, in tumults," &c. as expressed more fully, in 
 2. Cor. ch. vi. And withal while I stood with my 
 stripes and wounds naked before them, I told the officers 
 concerned, that if they had any more to lay upon me, I 
 was ready, and given up to suffer, it being in the cause 
 of Christ, for conscience sake. I may not forget the 
 wonderful power, aid, and comfort, which the Lord af- 
 forded me in that suffering condition. 
 
 " The said execution against me, and the solemnity 
 attending it being over at Najland, I took my horse, 
 and was accompanied out of the town by the constable 
 and others, towards Sudbury, to which town the officers 
 with their said warrant and pass attended me. 
 
 " The next day I was passed away from constable to 
 constable, through Clare and Haverhill, into the edge 
 of Cambridgeshire. In Clare, when the warrant was 
 produced to pass me forward, as ordered, several per- 
 sons took great notice of me, and seeing me have a pretty 
 good horse, and well habited, some said, this young man 
 does not look like a vagrant. 
 
 " In the edge of Cambridgeshire, we rpet with a con- 
 stable in the field, at the harrow, &c. And it being 
 about nine miles to another constable, toward Cam- 
 bridge, he thought it was too far for him to go with me. 
 1 said, he need not trouble himself, I knew what way 
 to go ; he then freely delivered me the warrant, it 
 drawing toward night : whereupon I returned alone to
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 99 
 
 find some town where I might lodge ; so I rode about 
 five miles that evening, to a town called Steeple Bum- 
 sted, as 1 remember, in Essex, where I got lodging at 
 an inn : but the inn-keeper being drunk, and under- 
 standing I was one called a Quaker, I heard him say, 
 I'll kick him from stile to stile ; yet the next morning 
 being more sober, when I paid for what 1 had, he part- 
 ed friendly with me. 
 
 " Then I rode to Halstead and Coggeshall, and after 
 that to Colchester, and had divers good meetings there 
 and in those parts, and at Sudbury, and near Nayland 
 aforesaid ; the country being alarmed and aw^akened 
 by my suffering, the people weie the more stirred up 
 to come to meetings, and to see and hear the young 
 man that was so cruelly whipped at Nayland ; and 
 many were tenderly affected and convinced, and the 
 truth of our testimony was the more spread and pre- 
 vailed ; so that tlie dark wrath of man turned to the 
 praise of God ; and 1 had great joy and consolation in 
 Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom 1 was freely given up 
 to suffer ; and He did powerfully sustain and stand by 
 me therein ; glory to his Name, and dominion be to Him 
 for ever ! 
 
 " I was the more deeply concerned in spirit to travel 
 and labour in the gospel ministry in that country, and 
 those parts, where I had so greatly and openly suffer- 
 ed ; and often to visit those eastern counties, being 
 supported in spirit, and borne up above all the threats 
 of branding, hanging, &.c. and above the envy of that 
 cruel persecuting spirit, and made to despise all the 
 shame it could cast upon me, by reproach and con- 
 tempt. 
 
 " In the forepart of that summer, in the year 1657, 
 meeting with my dear friend and brother Richard Hub- 
 berthorn, we travelled together out of Huntingtonshire, 
 from King's Ripon to Leicester, and after that to Co- 
 ventry, Warwick, and Worcester, and visited Friends 
 in those places, having some meetings with them. 
 Thence we went into Gloucestershire, where we met
 
 100 MEMOIRS, &C. 
 
 with our dear brother, George Fox, sen. at one justice 
 Grimes's house, a few miles from Gloucester, who with 
 his wife and family, were convinced of the blessed Truth, 
 as it is in Christ Jesus, his Life and Power. In the 
 court yard, George Fox, &.c. had a large meeting that 
 tirst-day we met him. I showed the justice, John Gur- 
 den's bloody warrant against me, and the pass before 
 mentioned ; at which he wondered, and was oiFended 
 at his cruelty, and minded to write to him against his 
 persecution. 
 
 " The next day after the said meeting, 1 went to 
 Gloucester, and visited those few Friends then in that 
 city ; which was very acceptable to them. After that, 
 I travelled about in that county and Worcestershire, 
 £ind visited the meetings of Friends mostly round the 
 countries, and in part of Herefordshire ; the Word of 
 Life being plentcously in my heart and ministry, en- 
 abled me by his Power, largely to preach, to the con- 
 vincing, strengthening, and comfort of many ; although 
 1 met with opposition and contention from some Bap- 
 tists, and others in those parts, as in Gloucestershire, 
 Leominster in Herefordshire, and in the city and county 
 of Worcester, where the Lord stood by me, and 
 strengthened me to stand against and over all the op- 
 position and contention which I met with ; for which 1 
 did, and ever shall, bless that Divine Power whereby 
 1 was called forth, and greatly assisted in the defence 
 of the Gospel of our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ."
 
 ( 101 ) 
 
 SECTION V. 
 
 G. Whitehead travels in the counties of Nottingham, Derby, Lei- 
 cester, Warwick, and Stafford — And in tlie winter of 1657, in 
 Westmoreland, Duriiam, and Nortliumberland— Returns by York 
 into the eastern counties — An illness at Diss, 1658 — Imprisoned 
 at Ipswich — Released on the death of Oliver Cromwell — Meet- 
 ings at and about Ipswich. 
 
 George Wliitehead has given a pretty long account 
 of some of the disputes in which lie was engaged in the 
 further course of this journey ; and to which he alludes 
 in the paragraph which closes the last section. 
 
 The chief topics which appear to have been dis- 
 cussed on these occasions, were the Scriptures — the 
 Light within — and the possibility of perfection in this 
 life; — but as these topics are discussed in some of the 
 subsequent disputations which will be noticed, w^e shall 
 now proceed with the author's narrative in his own 
 M'ords. 
 
 " In the summer of 1G57, I travelled and laboured 
 much in the ministry in the several counties of Not- 
 tingham, Derb}^, Leicester, Warwick, and partly in 
 StalFordshire, and other parts, and visited manv meet- 
 ings in the love and good will of God, which I had, 
 through his dear Son, received a true and living sense 
 and experience of, whereby I was strengthened and 
 supported in great labour, in the work of the ministry 
 of the Gospel ; and in which love my service was very 
 acceptable where I travelled among Friends and friend- 
 ly people. And I met with but little opposition, dis- 
 putes, or controversies from adversaries, after those I 
 met with in Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and once 
 at a meeting at Leominster in Herefordshire ; and at 
 a meeting in Warwickshire, where a fierce Baptist be- 
 gan a contest about the Word, but made little work of 
 
 1 Arf
 
 102 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 it ; for it was observable how impertinenUy he opposed 
 our asserting Christ to be the Word of God which was 
 in the beginning, John i. 1. And consequently that the 
 Word was before the Scriptures Were written. 
 
 " Against which, the Baptist made exception from 
 Christ's parable and construction thereof. Mat. xiii. 
 4 — 19. Mark iv. 4 — 15. Luke viii. 5 — 12. concerning 
 some seeds which fell by the way side, which the fowls 
 came and devoured ; that is, when any one heareth the 
 Word of the Kingdom, and understandeth it not, then 
 Cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which 
 was sown in his heart ; or, the devil cometh and tak- 
 eth away the Word out of their hearts, lest they should 
 believe and be saved, Luke viii. 12. 
 
 " Hence it was objected, that the devil could not 
 take away Christ out of their hearts, &c. And what 
 then 1 Neither is it said the devil taketh awav the 
 Scriptures out of their hearts, or that the Scriptures 
 were sown in them, or in those several sorts of ground. 
 Parables are not to be taken literally, nor always to be 
 strained to a literal sense. Though the devil cannot 
 catch away Christ out of men's hearts, he can catch 
 away loose and ignorant hearers' hearts from the sense 
 of the Word preached, when touched therewith, that 
 they may not believe and be saved ; which is too com- 
 mon among forgetful, barren hearers. And all that can 
 be argued from thence, can never prove that the Word 
 is not Christ, for that is to contradict John i. 1. Or that 
 Christ is not the Word preached, for that were to con- 
 tradict his ministers, who preach Christ the Living, 
 Eternal Word. 
 
 " I had sometimes heard of one Rice Jones, and that 
 he was at first convinced of the Truth testified by George 
 Fox, but soon turned aside against him and Friends, 
 and gathered a separate meeting, which some people 
 termed, ' Proud Quakers,' he making them believe he 
 was divinely inspired, so as to open the spiritual sense 
 of the Scriptures. They kept their meeting at the 
 castle at Nottingham. When I was there, I was con-
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 103 
 
 cerncd to visit them at their meeting, where sitting a 
 while, and observing the manner of their exercise, and 
 their attending to hear Rice expounding Scripture to 
 them, and seeing how dead and empty their devotion 
 or exercise was, I was moved to bear a plain testimony 
 against their deadness, and not waiting to feel the 
 power of the Lord to quicken them unto his spiritual 
 worship. And I had some discourse with Rice, where- 
 upon he seemed somewhat down in his spijit, and stop- 
 ped from going on that time. 
 
 '• A woman present, who appeared to be a sober and 
 chief hearer, seemed somewhat offended at my dis- 
 course with him ; she said to me, 'I saw a simplicity 
 in you after you came among us, but now the subtilty 
 is got up in you' ; whereby she seemed to aim at sim- 
 plicity ; however, my spiritual, living testimony then 
 borne among them, had so much effect upon that wo- 
 man, and some others, that they were convinced of the 
 Truth, and left Rice Jones and his meeting, and came 
 to Friends, perceiving, though he had a form, he denied 
 the power of godliness, and therefore they might well 
 turn away from such. 2 Tim. iii. 5. 
 
 " And though the said Rice came to some few of our 
 meetings afterward, yet I never heard that he came to 
 any true settlement in his mind, in the light or power 
 of Truth, or to a real love to Friends; for it is not 
 men's professions, or notions gathered merely from the 
 letter, but the Spirit, that begets true love, amity, and 
 unity. 
 
 " Having laboured in the Gospel work in the coun- 
 ties and places before mentioned, and had divers large 
 meetings that summer ; after a meeting without doors 
 at Leicester on a first-day, I was taken sick of a fever, 
 through some cold that had seized upon me, insomuch 
 that my recovery was doubted. When the distemper 
 was at the height, or thereabouts, the Lord showed me 
 in the night time, that He would restore me, and raise 
 me up again ; my work was not yet done ; I must yet 
 live to bear testimony against the covetous priests, &c.
 
 104 MKMOIRS OP 
 
 This was so clearly and powerfully revealed, and 
 shown to me, that T was immediately revived thereby ; 
 and certainly believed, what I had cause before to ques- 
 tion, that the Lord would restore me to health for his 
 name and work, and people's sake. 
 
 "My health sprung up so speedily, that 1 increased 
 in strength every day ; the time of that sickness being 
 about two weeks. The place where I lay that time, 
 was a town called Whetstone, near Leicester, at one 
 Thomas Pauley's, or Parley's, who, and his Wife, were 
 honest loving Friends. 
 
 " Quickly after my recovery, I travelled again, in 
 the work and service of the Lord, through part of War- 
 wickshire, and Coventry, and northward as winter was 
 approaching ; having several good meetings in York- 
 shire ; and got well to my parents' house in Westmore- 
 land, to whom 1 was very acceptable. 1 was received 
 with great joy and kindness, having been above three 
 years absent from them ; and in that space of time, 
 known to have suffered great hardships under persecu- 
 tion ; so that I was to them as one risen from the dead ; 
 for they had esteemed me as one lost, in a contrary 
 case to mine : * This my son was dead and is alive 
 again, he was lost and is found.' Though 1 never was 
 a prodigal, yet counted for one lost, until the Lord gave 
 them a better understanding, who had so thought of 
 me. 
 
 " And I was, and am persuaded that in the time of 
 my three years' absence, the Lord did secretly by his 
 power remove those prejudicial and hard thoughts, out 
 of the hearts and minds of my parents and relations, 
 which the priests had at first influenced them with, 
 concerning me and my Friends, the people called Qua- 
 kers. I was, and am still fully satisfied, the Lord did 
 secretly plead my innocent cause, after I was deemed 
 a miserable object, and given over for lost and undone ; 
 yet through all, the Lord gave me faith and patience 
 to bear all, and to outlive many oppositions, trials, and
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 105 
 
 exercises, as well as hardships ; glory to his excellent 
 name and power for evermore ! 
 
 " I had i^ood opportunities to visit Friends a( the se- 
 veral meetings which 1 had frequented, before I tra- 
 velled abroad in the work of the ministry, at Sedbcrgb, 
 Grayrigg, Kendal, ilavenstondale, and Strickland meet- 
 ings ; where 1 was joyfully received ; and my ministry, 
 given me of the Lord, was very acceptable, and to the 
 great comfort of many innocent Friends ; in whom their 
 first love was fresh and lively, and which they retained 
 to the end of their days. 
 
 " I also rode over the sands to Swarthmore in Lanca- 
 shire to judge Fell's, to visit Margaret Fell and her 
 family, and the meeting of Friends at their house : 
 where we were comforted together in the Lord, and in 
 the great love and unity which our Friends there and 
 in those parts were then in. 
 
 " I also visited Friends' meetings through Cumber- 
 land, where I had not been much known before that 
 journey ; yet Friends being very loving in that county 
 also, they kindly received me and my testimony, and 
 service for the Lord God, and his blessed ever-living 
 Truth ; He having made me zealously concerned for 
 the promoting and spreading thereof, as well as enabled 
 me to endure great sulFering and hardships for the 
 same. 
 
 "In those days, Friends in the west part of Cumber- 
 land kept their meetings without doors, at a place on 
 the common, called Pardshaw Cragg, not having con- 
 venient house room to contain the meetings. It was 
 very cold, stormy, snowy weather at one of the meet- 
 ings which I had on the said Cragg, but as there are 
 several sides of it under the wind, so Friends commonly 
 met on the calmest side. And truly several good and 
 blessed meetings I had at the said Pardsbaw Cragg, 
 both in the winter and summer ; and some within doors 
 since our Friends got a meeting-house built there. 
 
 " Likewise our Friends of Strickland and Sbapp, and 
 that side of Westmoreland, kept their meetings for
 
 106 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 some years, on the common, both winter and summer, 
 until they got a meeting house built at Great Strick- 
 land. Friends in those northern countries were greatly 
 enabled to bear the cold, and all sortsof weather, when 
 they had their meetings on the commons and mountain- 
 ous places, for several years at first. 
 
 " And when it has rained most of the time, at some 
 meetings where we have been very much wet, I do not 
 recollect that ever I got any hurt thereby ; the Lord so 
 preserved and defended us by his Power. Blessed be 
 his Name, who did enable me and many others to 
 stand, and to bear divers kinds of storms and winds, &c. 
 
 "I travelled the former part of the winter, 1657, in 
 Westmoreland, and also into the county of Durham, to 
 Newcastle and Northumberland, and thoroughly visit- 
 ed the meetings of Friends in those parts, and at Ber- 
 wick-upon-Tweed ; and returned back to that called 
 Holy Island by the sea-side, where the wife of the 
 governor of the garrison or fort there, was a Friend ; 
 Richard Wilson, a Friend of Sunderland, accompanying 
 me to Berwick, and back again : we were kindly re- 
 ceived in that island, both by the governor. Captain 
 Phillipps, and his wife. And that evening 1 had a 
 meeting in the castle, where the garrison was kept, in 
 the family, and among the soldiers, who were civil to 
 us. We lodged there that night, being kindly enter- 
 tained ; and the next morning the governor sent his 
 man with us to guide us over the sands. He being 
 then convinced of the Truth, did the more manifest his 
 kindness to us, and became a Friend. And some time 
 after, he and his wife removed into Oxfordshire, to Ban- 
 bury side ; and so far as I know, both continued Friends 
 to the end. 
 
 " In our return through Northumberland I declared 
 the Truth, and warned the people in several towns, to 
 repentance and amendment of Ufe; particularly in one 
 town, where they had a piper playing, and people 
 about, him dancing, by a haystack in a yard. I rode 
 up to them ; and in the dread of the Lord warned them
 
 G. WHITEUEAD. 107 
 
 to repenlance ; whereupon the piper ceased playing, 
 and he and the people present heard me quietly, till I 
 had cleared my conscience, and then parted peaceably 
 from them. But few Friends or meetings were then in 
 that county. And as we travelled to Berwick and 
 back again, it was hard for us to get lodgings in some 
 places, particularly at Alnwick, as we went, and one 
 other place in our return, and we had but a small 
 meeting of Friends at Berwick. 
 
 "Our loving Friend John Dove, and his wife and 
 family, at Whittlesey, kindly received me, at his house; 
 and at North Shields, and Tinmoulh, I had a meeting 
 at each place. 
 
 " Great endeavours were used for us to have had 
 some meetings in Newcastle-upon-Tyne; but the 
 mayor of the town, influenced by the priests, would not 
 suflbr us to keep any meeting within the liberty; though 
 in Gateside our Friends had settled a meeting at our 
 beloved Friend Richard LTbank's house. 
 
 " The first meeting we endeavoured to have in the 
 town of Newcastle, was in a large room taken by some 
 Friends ; William Coatsworth of South Shields, and 
 others, being zealously concerned for the same. 
 
 " The meeting was not fully gathered, when the 
 mayor of the town and hisofhcers came ; and by force 
 turned us out, and out of the tow^n also ; for the mayor 
 and his company commanded u.;, and went along with 
 us, so far as the bridge, over the river Tyne, that parts 
 Newcastle and Gateside; upon which bridge there is 
 a blue stone, to which the mayor's liberty only extends, 
 which when we came to, the mayor gave his charge 
 to each of us in these words, viz. 
 
 " I charge and command you, in the name of his high- 
 ness the lord protector, that you come no more into 
 Newcastle, to have any more meetings there, at your 
 peril. 
 
 " On a First-day, after we met again in the town of 
 Newcastle, without doors, near the riverside, where 
 the mayor's officers came again, and haled us away as
 
 108 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 before ; and in Gateside we could enjoy our meetings 
 peaceably, which we were thankful to God for. 
 
 " Being thus forcibly disappointed of keeping any 
 meetings in the town, some Friend or Friends, agreed 
 with the man that kept the guildhall, or shirehouse, to 
 sufTer us to have a meeting therein, it being without the 
 liberty of the town ; yet, though the keeper of the hall 
 had agreed for the price, the priest, whose name was 
 Hammond, interposed, to prevent our meeting, and per- 
 suaded the said keeper to break his word with our 
 Friends, and to keep them out of the house he had 
 agreed they should meet in ; the priest giving him half 
 a crown to go back from his bargain : for the said 
 keeper was constrained to show the cause of breach of 
 his agreement, in thus keeping us out of doors. 
 
 " IJeing thus perfidiously disappointed of the house, 
 after the meeting had been appointed, we were neces- 
 sitated to keep the meeting on the side of the hill near 
 the said shirehouse, that being also without the mayor's 
 liberty. 
 
 " However it was so ordered of the Lord, by his 
 over-ruling power, that we had not only a large meet- 
 ing and a great concourse of people, besides our own 
 Friends, but it was also kept quiet, and the spirits of 
 people subjected and brought under, by the power and 
 prevalency of Truth, and Gospel testimony, which the 
 Lord our God gave me strength to bear in that meet- 
 ing, in power and authority for a considerable time, as 
 I really believe, for two or three hours together ; and 
 my voice was raised to that degree, that some said I 
 was heard from off the side of the castle-hill, over the 
 river Tyne, into Gateside. 
 
 " I must needs say that day's work and service is to 
 me very memorable ; and the fresh remembrance of 
 the goodness and power of the Lord, my strength and 
 help in his own work and service, is still matter of 
 comfort to me, and the more, in that I feel a living 
 sense of the continuance of the same Divine goodness, 
 love, and Power of the Lord God with me still, that
 
 G. wiiitHiiead. 109 
 
 did assist and help me through deep sufTerings, trials, 
 and weighty undertakings in his service, for his holy 
 name and blessed truth's sake. ' O my soul bless thou 
 the Lord, and let all that is within me praise his Holy 
 name ; for his mercy endures for ever !' 
 
 " When I found myself clear in spirit of those parts, 
 I took my journey to York, and forward pretty directly 
 toward the isle of Ely, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, &c. 
 where my service, as well as sufferings, had chiefly 
 teen. 
 
 " After great labour and travel in many'partsof the 
 nation, as before related ; in the second month of the 
 year 1G58, I was taken sick of an ague and fever, 
 which began in Essex. Under it I laboured for some 
 days, and had divers meetings until I got into A^orfolk, 
 though in a low condition ; and my weakness so increas- 
 ed, that I was constrained to stay at a Friend's house 
 at Diss for two or three weeks, until the Lord was 
 pleased to recover and restore me by degrees, to my 
 health and strength ; although I was brought so very 
 low by that sickness, that my recovery appeared to be 
 by a special providence of God, who hath been pleased 
 to lengthen out m\^days for his name and work's sake: 
 He having by his over-ruling power and merciful provi- 
 dence all'ordcd me such manifest preservations, that 
 neither furious tumults, stonings, beating, cruel con- 
 finements, severe stripes, manifold labours, travels, nor 
 sickness, were hitherto suffered to shorten my days; for 
 the Lord has prolonged them even far beyond my own 
 expectation, many years ago, as well as to the disap- 
 pointment of my cruel persecutors' expectations and 
 desires. Let my heart and soul in true humility, bless 
 the Lord our God for his manifold blessings and emi- 
 nent preservations, both inward and outward : Let him 
 have the glory and praise of all, who alone is worthy 
 for ever more ! 
 
 " On the 12th day of the fifth month, 1658, as 1 was 
 riding through the town of Hoxon in Suffolk, and 
 meeting with Edward Willan, priest of the town; I ex- 
 
 VOL. I. K
 
 110 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 horted him to fear God and cease from iniquity. Then 
 we fell into some discourse, wherein the priest accused 
 me, of seducing his flock from the church, I having had 
 a meeting in the town the day before. I asked the 
 priest concerning Hoxon steeple-house, if that was the 
 church he spake of? He affirmed, that it was the 
 church. I demanded of him to prove that such a 
 house made of wood and stone was the church of Christ. 
 He pretended to prove it was, from 1 Cor. ii. 22. ' Or 
 despise ye the church of God V which no way proves 
 the Church of God to be such a house as is made up of 
 wood and stone ; for the apostle in the very same place 
 distinguishes between their houses and the church of 
 God; in saying; 'What have ye not houses to eat 
 and drink in ? Or despise ye the church of God V I 
 told the priest, that the church of Christ was built up 
 of living stones. That he granted, yet stood to main- 
 tain the outward house, or fabrick, to be the church ; 
 though he acknowledged that house was not built of 
 living stones ; but alleged that when the apostle spake 
 of the Church, he spake by a metonymy, i. e. of the 
 thing containing, for the thing contained, wherein he 
 wronged the apostle's words and sense ; for when the 
 apostle wrote to the Church of Christ, or to the Church 
 of God, he wrote to them that were sanctified in Christ, 
 called to be saints, &.c. 1 Cor. i. 2. And to ' the 
 Church which is in God the Father, and in the Lord 
 Jesus Christ,' 1 Thes. i. I. This was to the sanctified 
 people, the saints, he wrote, not to a house of wood and 
 stone." 
 
 Whichever had the best of the argument, the power 
 was on the side of the priest ; and becoming very an- 
 gry with his opponent, he seized the bridle of his horse, 
 and forcibly held him, until, with the assistance of some 
 of his friends, he obliged him to go before a justice of 
 peace in the neighbourhood. 
 
 It appears that during this transaction George White- 
 head charged the priest with being a persecutor, and
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. Ill 
 
 this expression was mainly rclieJ upon in the charge 
 brought against him, when lie came before the magis- 
 trate ; though it occurred during the forcible attempt 
 to take him there. 
 
 George Whitehead maintained that he had broken 
 no law; but the justice pretending that a late act of 
 parHament for the punishment of vagrants, dissolute 
 persons, and fiddlers, " was made only for Quakers ;" 
 granted a mittimus to commit him to Ipswich gaol 
 charged with having reviled the priest. So hasty were 
 they to convey him to prison, that they hurried him 
 away that night on horseback ; and after riding most 
 of the night, he and his guards reached Ipswich, a dis- 
 tance of about twenty miles, a little after sun-rising. 
 He soon found himself in the common or felon's gaol ; 
 where, he says, he met with " William Alexander of 
 Needham, an honest young man, and two other honest 
 Friends, who suffered for non-payment of tithes." 
 
 Their beds were of straw; but the keeper was more 
 civil to them than the gaolor at Edmundsbury had been 
 to George Whitehead and his companions. 
 
 At the quarter sessions the priest appeared, and 
 swore that the prisoner had reviled the ministry of the 
 Word of God, at a meeting at Iloxon ; though he ad- 
 mitted in court, that he had not been present at the 
 meeting. He had brought, however, another witness 
 to declare the same; and the jury, as was usual in 
 those days, complying with the' persecuting wishes of 
 the priests, brought in a verdict of guilty. The par- 
 ties having sentenced him to pay a (ine of twenty shil- 
 lings, which he could not conscientiously pay, he was 
 returned to the prison, and was there detained for some 
 weeks ; until Oliver Cromwell died, and his son Rich- 
 ard was proclaimed Protector, Soon after this event, 
 by the interference of some of his friends, he was libe- 
 rated from his imprisonment; after having been con- 
 fined about sixteen weeks. 
 
 The course of suffering to which his exertions as an 
 itinerant minister of Christ, exposed this young, active,
 
 112 MEMOIRS, <kc. 
 
 and zealous labourer, appears to have had no tendency 
 to abate his efforts to promote what he believed to be 
 THE Truth. After being released from his imprison- 
 ment at Ipswich, he says, he had *' very good and com- 
 fortable sej-vice, in the work of the Gospel, in several 
 places, in the counties of Suffolk and Essex." 
 
 For a time after the change in the Government, per- 
 secution appeared suspended; and the meetings of 
 Friends were less frequently disturbed ; but tlie perse- 
 cuting spirit remained : and notwithstanding the high 
 profession which the preshyterian party had made, of 
 supporting liberty of conscience, it was, through the 
 whole period of their power, evident that their views of 
 liberty were confined to their own party ; and that, as 
 George Whitehead expresses it, they would not allow 
 liberty of conscience to any people but themselves. 
 
 Not many weeks after his release from prison, he at- 
 tended a meeting at Ipswich, at the house of an honest 
 friend, a ship-master: w^ho with his wife hadembraced 
 the despised principles of the new Society. 
 
 A considerable number of sober neighbours attended 
 on this occasion ; and it is said to have been a good, 
 peaceable meeting. But the enemies of the Friends 
 in that town, envious of their little quiet, endeavoured 
 to stir up persecution against the ship-master : and 
 succeeded in inducing a jury to present him as re- 
 ceiving into his house, countenancing, harbouring, and 
 supporting, divers dissolute, idle, loose, and suspected 
 persons, disturbers of the public peace, commonly called 
 Quakers ; and as also keeping disorder, evil rule and 
 government in his house, to the great 7misa7ice of his 
 neighbours^ (St. 
 
 George Whitehead and some of his friends published 
 a paper, in which they endeavoured to show the false- 
 hood and malignity of these charges ; and George also 
 addressed on the occasion, a letter of warning to •' The 
 Inhabitants of Ipswich, both Teachers and People,"
 
 ( 113 ) 
 
 SECTION VI. 
 
 Has many disputations in the years 1658 and 1659. — Account of 
 one at Eninclh on seventeen points — At Cambridge, with the 
 keeper of tiie University Library — At Lynn, with the Mooreans 
 or Universalists, on Christian perfection, Christ's body, &,c. — 
 A second with the same people, succeeded by a written contro- 
 versy. 
 
 Notwithstanding the suffering and contempt which 
 attended the Society at this period, its numbers in- 
 creased materially during the protectorate of Richard 
 Cromwell. In the years 1658 and 1659, there was 
 some respite from open persecution ; but the exertions 
 of the Society's opponents to misrepresent it, did not 
 cease ; and many of the clergy inveighed severely 
 against them from their pulpits. George Whitehead, 
 in consequence, thought it right to request a public con- 
 ference, with some of those who had preached against 
 the principles which he was engaged in advocating ; 
 and several of the ministers accepting his challenge, 
 public disputes were held on the leading points of dif- 
 ference. These meetings were numerously attended ; 
 but do not appear, from the particulars given of them 
 by George Whitehead, to have been generally satis- 
 factory. He observes that when the priests found the 
 Friend's arguments too heavy, they would avail them- 
 selves of their influence to raise a noise and clamour, to 
 prevent the Truth from being heard. This was the case 
 in a dispute which George Whitehead and two of his 
 friends, Richard Hubberthorn and Samuel Neale, had 
 with the minister at Sandwich, in Kent. 
 
 A subsequent dispute with the minister of Emneth, 
 in Norfolk, appears to have been more satisfactory. 
 The minister in accepting the challenge which George 
 Whitehead sent to him, in consequence of his having 
 
 K 2
 
 114 ME3I0IRS OF 
 
 preached against the society, judiciously wrote down 
 seventeen questions, entibracing all the topics of suppos- 
 ed difference of opinion ; and requested his opponent to 
 give a distinct answer to each of them, at the public 
 dispute. This George accordingly did ; and he states 
 the questions and answers to be as follows : 
 
 '' 1. Whether Jesus Christ hath a body glorified in 
 the heavens, distant and distinct from the bodies of his 
 saints here below 1 
 
 " Anszver. Yea, as a glorified body is distinct from 
 natural or earthy bodies, and heaven from the earth. 
 
 " 2. Whether the blood that Jesus Christ shed at 
 Jerusalem, is the blood that believers are justified by ? 
 Or whether He dies in men for their justification ? 
 
 " Aasv}tr. Sanctification, forgiveness of sins, cleans- 
 ing from sin, and justification, are sometimes ascribed 
 to the blood of Christ, and to the Spirit of our God and 
 our Lord Jesus Christ, which effects, works, and mani- 
 fests the same in all true believers. 
 
 " But here are two questions put for one ; the first 
 appears not a scriptural or proper question ; where 
 does the Scripture use those words, viz. the blood that 
 Jesus Christ shed ? Seeing it was by wicked hands He 
 was put to death, and his blood shed upon the cross ? 
 Yet as the blood of Jesus Christ is put for, or repre- 
 sents his life which He laid down, and even the otfer- 
 ing and sacrifice of Himself at Je'rusalem ; that was a 
 most acceptable Sacrifice, and of a sweet smelling sa- 
 vour to God for mankind, respecting his great dignity 
 and obedience, who humbled Himself even to the death 
 of the cross ; and gave Himself a ransom for all men, 
 for a testimony in due time ; and his sacrifice, media- 
 tion, and intercession, hath opened a door of mercy for 
 mankind to enter in at, through true repentance to- 
 ward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 which are wrought in man, that obeys his call thereto, 
 only by his grace and good spirit unto sanctification 
 and justification, in the name and power of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ, who of God is made unto us wisdom, right-
 
 G. MIIITEIIEAD. 115 
 
 eousncss, sanctification and redemption. God's great 
 love toward mankind, was manifest in his dear Son Je- 
 sus Christ, and ' God was in Christ reconciling the 
 world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto 
 them.' 2 Cor. v. 19. 
 
 " The latter question of the second is groundless and 
 and perverse : we know neither Scripture nor minister 
 amongst us, that asserts Christ's dying in men for their 
 justification, but that once He died, i. e. for our sins ; 
 and rose again for our justification ; and that He ever 
 lives to make intercession ; and death has no more do- 
 minion over Him. Christ Jesus lives and reigns for 
 ever, in the power and glory of the Father, although 
 some are said to crucify to themselv'es the Lord of Life 
 afresh, and to tread under foot the Son of God, which 
 cannot be taken properly in a literal sense ; but by 
 their contempt of Truth, and doing despite to his Spirit 
 of grace, as some malicious apostates have done ; not 
 to their justification but condemnation. 
 
 " What any of us, or among us, have spoken or writ- 
 ten of the Seed or Word, which the Son of man, Jesus 
 Christ, sows in men's Hearts ; and of the same being 
 oppressed, or suffering in some, or as being choaked 
 with worldly cares, and the love of riches in others, 
 &,c. These, and many such like expressions may have 
 been used, according to the parables and similitudes 
 which Christ Jesus himself spake, relating to the king- 
 dom of heaven, the Word or Seed of life and grace, 
 sown by Him in men's hearts ; and likewise of griev- 
 ing, vexing, and quenching his Spirit in them by their 
 disobedience ; and yet all these, never intend or mean, 
 that Christ himself properly dies in men for their jus- 
 tification, although his Spirit be both grieved and 
 quenched in many ; and many do lose the true sense of 
 his Living Word in themselves, by suffering their soul's 
 enemy to draw out their minds from that Seed, that 
 Word, that Light, that Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ 
 in them, which in itself, in its own being, never dies. 
 The immortal Seed, the immortal Word, is of an im-
 
 116 MEJIOins OF 
 
 mortal Being, though many be dead thereunto, in their 
 trespasses and sins. 
 
 " 3. Whether this individual body of ours shall be 
 raised at the last day ? 
 
 " Answer. This appears an unscriptural, as well as 
 an unlearned and dubious question, if not antiscriptu- 
 ral : if he means this our natural, identical body of 
 flesh, blood, and bones, the testimony of the Apostle 
 Paul may both answer and refute his question ; the re- 
 surrection body being not natural but spiritual, not 
 flesh and blood, for they cannot inherit the kingdom of 
 God. 1 Cor. XV. 
 
 " And how is this earthy body of ours individual, if 
 it may be divided and parted into pieces, and small par- 
 ticles, or dissolved into dust, or in the earth, or in the 
 sea, or in the fire into smoke or air. Nevertiieless God 
 giveth a body as it pleaseth Him, and to every seed his 
 own body ; yea, to every soul its own proper body. 
 
 " 4. VVhether any saints before death are sinless? 
 
 ^^ Answer. Yea, those saints whom Christ sanctifies, 
 and cleanseth from all sin ; as He doth all true and 
 constant saints. 
 
 " 5. Whether the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, be 
 three distinct persons, or subsistences ? 
 
 " Answer. We do not find them so termed (i. e. three 
 distinct persons) in Holy Scripture, but rather Three 
 Witnesses, or Three that bear witness in Heaven, the 
 Father, the Word, and Holy Spirit, and these Three 
 are One. 1 John v. 
 
 •' 6. Whether water-baptism be a Gospel ordinance 1 
 
 " Answer. No, as it was John Baptist's ministration, 
 it was typical, and was rather legal, than a Gospel or- 
 dinance, though sometimes condescended unto in the 
 Church's infancy. 
 
 " But if by water-baptism be meant sprinkling in- 
 fants, that is no real baptism nor Gospel ordinance, but 
 rather rantism, and a tradition of the Romish Church, 
 than any Gospel ordinance.
 
 G. AVHITEIIEAD. 117 
 
 «' 7. Whether the Scriptures he the rule of your faith, 
 and life, or the Spirit ? 
 
 " Ansiocr. We do not find that the Scriptures call 
 themselves the rule of faith and life, hut refer us to 
 the Holy Spirit to be our guide into all Truth, and they 
 testifying of Christ, as He is the Way to the Father, 
 even the Way, the Truth and the Life ; we do there- 
 fore truly esteem the Holy Scriptures as a subordinate 
 rule, or directory, directing us to Ilim who is the prin- 
 cipal, or chief guide, way, or rule of faith and life ; and 
 we do sincerely own, that the Holy Scriptures contain 
 many divine rules, precepts, and doctrines, relating to 
 our most holy faith and life. 
 
 " 8. Whether children of darkness have the Light of 
 Christ within them ? 
 
 " j^nszver. They have some degree of light from 
 Christ in them, though it shines in darkness, as a light 
 shining in a dark place, otherwise they could not come, 
 nor be translated out of darkness; they must believe in 
 the Light, in order to become children of the Light, and 
 therefore Christ exhorted ; " believe -in the Light, that 
 ye may be children of the Light." 
 
 *' 9. Whether that act be sin in a saint, which is a 
 sin in a wicked man ? 
 
 " Answer. The act of sin, and every transgression of 
 the law of Christ, is sin in fact, in whomsoever it is ; but 
 the saints, or sanctified in Christ, who dwell in Him, do 
 not allow, or sufler sin to dwell in them, nor themselves 
 to commit it ; he that abides in Christ sinneth not. 
 
 " 10. Whether there be any moral difTerence in days 
 under the Gospel ? 
 
 " Ansicer. No, not as under the law in the observa- 
 tion of sabbaths, which were a shadow or sign to Israel, 
 and are ended in Christ, in whom is the faithful soul's 
 everlasting rest or sabbath. Yet there is, and may be 
 a religious or an occasional dilFcrence made in days 
 under the Gospel, as where a day is, or may be regard- 
 ed unto the Lord; especially in religious assemblies,
 
 118 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 and particularly as was, and is practised on the first 
 day of the week among Christians. 
 
 " The Apostle Paul was tender in this case, about 
 one man's entertaining and regarding one day above 
 another, and another man's esteeming every day alike, 
 and about meats, so as not to judge one another; but 
 let every man, said he, be fully persuaded in his own 
 mind, Rom. xiv. Yet condemns the Jewish, and super- 
 stitious observation of days, meats, and drinks, &c. Gal. 
 iv. 10, n. 
 
 "11. Whether it be a duty for Christians to cele- 
 brate the Lord's Supper with bread and wine ? 
 
 " Answer. In this question he begs the question ; im- 
 posing and taking for granted their bread and wine as 
 ministered by the priest, to be the Lord's Supper, which 
 I must deny until proved by Scripture. For that which 
 was properly the Lord's Supper, was when He and 
 his disciples eat the passover. Luke xx. 15. There is 
 no necessity now for Christians to celebrate that Sup- 
 per ; for that was both celebrated and fulfilled by Christ 
 himself. And the passover and outward bread and 
 wine, or cup, were typical and shadows, fulfilled by 
 Christ Jesus, and in Him unto his true spiritual be- 
 lievers and followers, who are spiritually partakers of 
 Christ the Substance, being come to receive Him to 
 sup with them, and they with Him. Rev. iii. 
 
 " 12. Whether an outward mission, by imposition of 
 hands, with fasting and prayer, by men so ordained 
 themselves to the work of the ministry, be according 
 to Gospel order? 
 
 " Answer. An outward mission by these, without an 
 inward Divine call, is not sufficient to authorize any 
 one to be Christ's minister, or ambassador ; neither have 
 they any Divine authority to commission ministers by 
 their imposition of hands, fasting, or prayer, who them- 
 selves have no Divine call, nor authority given them by 
 Christ thereunto, but who rather conclude, that his im- 
 mediate call, ministry, and prophecy are long since 
 ceased.
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 119 
 
 " 13. Whether the Scriptures be the ordinary means 
 to beget faith in men's hearts ? 
 
 *' Answer. No, 1. Not without the help of the Holy- 
 Spirit and Light thereof, to give the true understand- 
 ing of them. 2. Not the ordinary means to beget faith 
 in men's hearts, in a limited or universal sense, as if 
 none might believe without them ; for God may make, 
 and hath made use of other means than the Scriptures, 
 as by preaching the Gospel in Spirit and power. 3. By 
 his works in the creation. 4. Chiefly by the word of 
 faith in men's hearts which is the efficient cause of be- 
 getting and working faith in them, being the faith of 
 the operation of God, and our Lord Jesus Christ, the 
 Author and Finisher of our faith. 5. Nevertheless the 
 Holy Scriptures being opened and applied by the Spirit, 
 are often made instrumental to beget faith in men's 
 hearts. 
 
 " 14. Whether the Scriptures need any interpreta- 
 tion and reconciliation i 
 
 " Answer. Yea, to the first part, many Scriptures are 
 mysterious, allegorical, parabolical, and prophetical, 
 and need to be interpreted and opened by the Spirit 
 from whence they came ; but not by man's human, or 
 fleshly wisdom, or private interpretation ; for the na- 
 tural man perceiveth not, nor can he know the things 
 of the Spirit of God, they being spiritually discerned. 
 Neither need the Holy Scriptures reconciliation in 
 themselves ; for they are harmonious and do agree, and 
 the Scripture cannot be broken. 
 
 " 15. Whether the Divine nature of Jesus Christ be 
 united to the bodies of believers, as it was to his own 
 personal body in Judea ? 
 
 ^''Answer. No, although true believers, who are 
 Christ's members, are spiritually united unto Him, and 
 members of his body, and made partakers of his Divine 
 nature ; yet not in the same fulness as it is in Him, 
 who is the Head, in whom it hath pleased the Father, 
 that all fulness should dwell.
 
 120 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 " 1 G. Whether the Pope of Rome be antichrist, and 
 papacy antichristian ? 
 
 " Ansioer. Yea, to both. 
 
 " 17. Whether George Whitehead will take the oath 
 of abjuration, and renounce the Pope ? 
 
 '■^Answer. George Whitehead has not a renunciation, 
 or denial of the Pope or popery now to make, having 
 never owned either, but always utterly denied and dis- 
 owned both ; although he cannot swear to such renun- 
 ciation, because for conscience sake he may not swear 
 at all; either by that oath of abjuration, i. e. to re- 
 nounce the Pope, &c. or by any other oath, lest he 
 should foil into condemnation." Mai. v. James v. 11. 
 
 The answers to the questions here given by George 
 Whitehead, were of course but the heads of his reply. 
 G^nsiderable discussion took place upon several of the 
 points ; but they had not time to go through the whole. 
 The people were attentive and serious; and the meet- 
 ing ended quietly and without any reflections upon the 
 new Society. 
 
 In regard to the precise nature of Christ's body in 
 heaven, George Whitehead would not be driven from 
 Scripture expressions. He would not allow that the 
 term human might be applied to it in its glorified state. 
 If the bodies of the saints were to be changed or fashion- 
 ed like unto His glorious body, it was inferable that 
 some change* had taken place in Christ's body since 
 his ascension, as He was when on earth in all respects 
 like unto us, sin excepted.^ 
 
 Christ's body in Heaven was certainly not human in 
 such manner as to require the appendages of an earthly 
 body, as food, clothing, &c. " Humanus,^'' says George 
 Whitehead, "relates io Humus, the ground or earth, out 
 of which the hrst Adam was taken and formed, and 
 therefore that term was thought too low to ascribe to 
 
 * Such a change is not incompatiblo with identity, 
 t Heb. iv. 15. ii. 16, 17.
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 121 
 
 the Second Adam or his glorious body, who is the Lord 
 from heaven ; not an earthly man but a Heavenly Man, 
 morally and essentially, llowbeit could we have had 
 Scripture proof to ascribe human to the Heavenly Man 
 Christ Jesus in his glorified state, it had decided the 
 question." 
 
 The priests generally endeavoured to conduct their 
 dispute by the syllogistic method, thinking probably to 
 confound their opponents, and mislead vulgar hearers 
 by the display of scholastic knowledge. How little the 
 use of arbitrary logical terms, are adapted to elicit 
 truth, and how often they lead those who use them into 
 absurd conclusions, is sutliciently evident from the re- 
 ports of these disputations. The following account of 
 a dispute at Cambridge may serve as a specimen. 
 George Whitehead's antagonist was the keeper of the 
 university library, with whom he had had a previous 
 contest in the city of Westminster, at a meeting for wor- 
 ship which the librarian attended ; at which he thought 
 proper to charge the Friends with heresy. 
 
 " I and another Friend," says George Whitehead's 
 narrative, " went to the mayor of Cambridge, to desire 
 liberty for us to have our meeting for the dispute at the 
 guild-hall, suspecting Friends' meeting-house would not 
 contain the people. The mayor being a moderate man, 
 and his wife a friend of ours, after some consideration 
 signified to us, that he durst not let us have the guild- 
 hall, for fear the scholars should do some mischief; but 
 he told us, that if we met at our own meeting-house, 
 which was over against Sidney -College, he would send 
 his officers to keep the peace ; which accordingly he 
 did. 
 
 '• On the day of our meeting to dispute, came our 
 learned antagonist, Thomas Smith, attended with a 
 great company of scholars, of several degrees, bachelors, 
 and masters of art, &c. He again resumed his old 
 charge of heresy against us, having had time to study 
 some new arguments for proof, and then proceeded 
 with his logic and syllogisms ; and I did not at all go 
 
 VOL. I. L
 
 122 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 about to prevent his essay that way, being willing to 
 watch him, and see what work he would make of it; 
 and thus he attempted it, viz. 
 
 He that is a papist, is a heretic : 
 
 But you are papists, (i. e. the Quakers,) 
 
 Ergo, You are heretics. 
 
 " George Whitehead. I deny the minor, or second 
 part of the argument, that is, 1 deny that we are pa- 
 pists. 
 
 " Priest. He that refuses to take the oath of abju- 
 ration, is a papist: 
 
 But you refuse to take the oath of abjuration, 
 
 Ergo, you are papists. 
 
 " George Whitehead. I except against the major, or 
 first part of the argument, and the consequence deduc- 
 ed therefrom, for the following reasons. Christ hath 
 commanded us, not to swear at all, &.c. Matt. v. 34, &c. 
 And his apostle James likewise forbids all swearing, 
 saying : ' Above all things my brethren, swear not ; 
 neither by heaven, neither by earth, neither by any 
 other oath ; but let your yea be yea, and your nay, 
 nay, lest you fall into condemnation.' James v. 12. 
 
 " Now suppose the apostle James were here present, 
 to maintain this doctrine against all swearing, or tak- 
 ing any oath, he must refuse the oath of abjuration, 
 because it is an oath ; he must obey the doctrine of his 
 Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. Then by this person's 
 way of arguing against me and the Quakers, he would 
 be charged with being a papist and heretic. And thus 
 the argument consequently unjustly charges, or reflects 
 upon Christ and his holy apostles ; to which the priest 
 could make no reply, to clear himself from the absur- 
 dity and fallacy of his argument, and false charge. 
 
 " When he failed in his arguments, and was detected, 
 some of the scholars that stood by, would say to him, 
 * Take that otf ;' by which I understood they meant, 
 drop that argument, or let it fall, or evade it, and slide 
 off to some other point, or argument, for so he did : 
 and this 1 have found to be the shift and subterfuge of
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 123 
 
 many adversaries, to evade a fair disquisition of the 
 question, or point in hand ; insomuch as I have often 
 called out upon them, to keep to the point in hand, and 
 not to evade, nor use shifting. 
 
 " This is a brief account of the discourse at that 
 meeting. 
 
 " However, our dispute was managed in such mode- 
 ration, that the meeting was continued pretty quiet to 
 the end, the scholars being generally civil. And we 
 being sensible the Truth gained ground at that meeting, 
 came off very easy and comforted in our spirits. 
 
 " In Cambridge, I had, in those days, divers good 
 meetings, and effectual service for the Truth ; and they 
 generally were peaceable, while I was concerned in 
 them, the scholars being more civil towards me than 
 we could expect; for many of them would stand to 
 hear the Truth with great attention : and I often felt 
 the Lord's power over their spirits in our meetings ; 
 though some time after I left them, I heard that Friends 
 met with disturbance, and some with hard usage from 
 some of the scholars, which 1 was sorry to hear ; it 
 being partly occasioned by some striving with them, 
 not in the wisdom of God, whereby it appeared, that 
 the evil spirit might be more easily raised and let 
 loose than subdued or bound. 
 
 " Howbeit, this I have observed, that when we have, 
 in a meeting in that place, met with some opposition, 
 if it was by any person of understanding, or learning, 
 that would deport himself soberly, we could have some 
 fair and quiet discourse, tending to information, and 
 edification ; and the scholars present would demean 
 themselves with attention, as persons willing to receive 
 instruction ; but if a vain irreligious person came into 
 a meeting to scoff, deride, or laugh at us, or show con- 
 tempt against our Christian testimony, such an one 
 would raise levity or laughter, in some or other of the 
 loose scholars, to their hurt and shame. 
 
 " One time an old priest, who had been blind from 
 his childhood, and some company with him, came into
 
 124 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 our meeting, and behaved themselves pretty civilly ; 
 the priest seemed to be a learned person, and would 
 undertake to question me about the Trinity ; as to my 
 belief therein. I answered him in terms of Holy Scrip- 
 tures, viz. That I really own, and believe the Father, 
 the Son, and the Holy Ghost, are the Three which 
 bear record in heaven ; and these Three are One, ac- 
 cording to the doctrine of John the evangelist. 1 
 JoJm v. 7. 
 
 " But this answer would not please the priest ; and 
 1 would give him no other ; I would not enter into a 
 dispute about three distinct persons, which the priest 
 would have drawn me into ; 1 not being free in point 
 of conscience to give other names or appellations to the 
 One True God, than what are given in Holy Scrip- 
 ture, 1 did not esteem it safe to use unscriptural or 
 metaphysical terms, on such a sacred point as that of 
 the Deity, but to keep to plain Scripture terms and 
 language." 
 
 The next controversy in which George Whitehead 
 appears to have been engaged, was with a class of per- 
 sons who had risen up under the name of Manifeste- 
 rians, Universalists, or Free-willers ; and who were 
 called by some Mooreans, from one Thomas Moor, their 
 chief minister. These people are said to have pre- 
 vailed about Lynn, in Norfolk, and the neighbouring 
 country ; and many of them appear to have been seri- 
 ous inquirers after Truth. Several of these professors 
 joined the Society of Friends, which excited a very 
 hostile feeling on the part of their leaders, who took 
 great pains to traduce the Society, both by words and 
 writings. John Horn, one of the ministers of this sect, 
 who was the parisii priest at Lynn, with Thomas Moor, 
 junior, son of the fonnchr, were particularly active in 
 their opposition, styling the Quakers antichrists, here- 
 tics, accursed, &c. 
 
 In consequence of these proceedings, George White- 
 head and George Fox the younger, requested a public
 
 G. AVniTEHEAD. 125 
 
 meeting with them ; and they met in the parish church 
 at Lynn, in the summer of IftoO. 
 
 The topics of discussion were, First, " The possibi- 
 Uty of a sinless state being attained in this life, by true 
 believers in Christ. 
 
 ''Secondlij. Whether the Light wherewith Christ 
 enlightenctii every man, be a Sj)iritual Light. 
 
 Thinlly. As to the state of Christ's body in hea- 
 
 ven." 
 
 These were the points, it is presumable, on which the 
 Mooreans had rested their charge of heresy, &c. In 
 regard to the two first points, the Friends, of course, 
 maintained the affirmative. 
 
 They maintained, that Christ came " to destroy the 
 works of the devil, and to restore and save man from 
 sin and condemnation ;" and that " the grace of God, 
 in and through Jesus Christ, was sufficient for the 
 blessed attainment of perfect sanctification, persever- 
 ance in grace, and abiding in Christ." 
 
 " To prove sin a natural inheritance in believers, so 
 long as they are here," their opponents quoted Rom. vii. 
 17. "It is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth 
 in me;" which, it was replied, did not prove that sin 
 dwelt in the apostle all his life, much less that sin was 
 h\s necessary slate so \ox\g as he lived; '• for he knew 
 deliverance : he was made free from sin and condem- 
 nation, and more than conqueror through Christ that 
 loved him." 
 
 The Mooreans allowed a perfection of sincerity 
 towards God, and illustrated their views by the cha- 
 racter of Asa king of Judah, of whom it was said, that 
 " his heart was perfect with the Lord his God all his 
 days ;" 1 Kings xv. 14. although he appears to have 
 been far from sinless, and persecuted the honest pro- 
 phet who was sent to him by the Lord, to reprove him 
 for his foolishness, and to tell him of the judgments 
 which should attend him. 
 
 The Friends considered this illustration of their op- 
 ponents' argument, as showing the low views which 
 
 L 2
 
 126 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 they took of the standard of Christian sanctification or 
 hoHness, as if it were compatible with a state of mind 
 in which we may " do foolishly, commit sin, decline from 
 the Lord, mid not rely upon Him or seek to Him, in a 
 day of distress, or affliction.''^ Such a view, they con- 
 tended, was directly opposed to the Scripture declara- 
 tion, in regard to the state of the new birth, or of him 
 who is horn of God, and in whom his Seed remains. 1 
 John iii. 
 
 The discussion on the second point is reported in the 
 following short paragraph. 
 
 " The Light wherewith Christ lighteth every man 
 that Cometh into the world, John i. 9, they would not 
 confess to he spiritual, as immediatejy shining from 
 Christ the Divine Word; but Thoma^^loor said: 'It 
 is both natural and spiritual ;' though they never could 
 make that out, of that one and the same Light spoken 
 of, John i. 4. U. It being the Life which was in the 
 Word, which was, and is the Light of men, from the 
 beginning, and which is therefore divine and spiritual, 
 and not man's natural reason ; which in one sense they 
 esteemed spiritual, .as opposed to the natural body ; 
 but in another sense, natural as opposed to divine 
 Light, though the Word be divine." 
 
 In regard to the third head of dispute, George White- 
 head says : " Because we owned Christ's body in His 
 glorified state in heaven, to be a glorious, spiritual body, 
 and the resurrection bodies of the saints to be not car- 
 nal but spiritual, they would insinuate against us, a 
 denial of the body of Christ in heaven, and of the resur- 
 rection ; whereupon we did not only confess the resur- 
 rection and ascension of Christ's body that was put to 
 death, that his flesh saw no corruption, i. e. that it did 
 not corrupt, but rose again a real body ; but we also 
 turned some questions upon them concerning the body 
 of Christ after lie ascended, to know if they owned the 
 same, to have been a spiritual, glorious body ; or in 
 what sense they owned it."
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 127 
 
 Thomas Moor contended for its being of flesh and 
 bones, but without blood ; and suggested that this was 
 also the case with Adam's body in his paradisiacal state. 
 George Whitehead contended generally, that, on the 
 authority of Scripture, "Flesh and blood cannot inhe- 
 rit the kingdom of God ; neither can corruption inherit 
 incorruption." 1 Cor. xv. 50, &c. — that Christ's body 
 •was clearly declared to be glorious — and " that the 
 bodies of the saints, in the resurrection, shall be like 
 unto his glorious body — spiritual, incorruptible, equal 
 to the angels — which equality is ascribed lo the sons of 
 God, and of the resurrection." 
 
 George Whitehead appears to have thought this de- 
 scription of the glorified body, to be inconsistent with 
 the opinion of its retaining the character of flesh and 
 bones ; but he would not presume to say what were 
 its component parts; and his opponents admitted, that 
 they knew not what change or transformation took 
 place in the body of Christ, in its ascension and glory. 
 
 The observations which George Whitehead makes 
 upon this part of the controversy are well worth atten- 
 tion, and prove that he was desirous of fully conform- 
 ing his views on the subject, to the authority of Holy 
 Scripture. 
 
 " It is not safe," he observes, " for men to be busy, 
 and intruding into those matters and things not seen ; 
 for by such intrusion, questions and critical disputes 
 arise about the manner of the resurrection, how and 
 with what bodies, and in what form and manner they 
 shall appear, &,c. This is next to a denial or unbelief 
 of the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, and 
 tends to beget questions, doubtings, and unbelief there- 
 of; and it is not safe for the weak in faith to be received 
 into doubtful disputations. There were some among 
 the Corinthians, that said : ' There is no resurrection 
 of the dead ;' 1 Cor. xv. 12. whose foolishness the apos- 
 tle reprehended, when they questioned : ' How are the 
 dead raised up? And with what body do they come V 
 Whom he answered in these words : ' Thou fool, that
 
 128 MKMOIRS OF 
 
 which thou sowest is not quickened except it die ; and 
 that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that 
 shall be,' &c. ver. 35 — 37. 
 
 Now as to the resurrection according to Holy Scrip- 
 ture, we do not doubt or question, but sincerely believe 
 it; and that if in this life we have a part in Christ, 
 and experience Him to be the Resurrection and the 
 Life unto us, we doubt not, but beheve we shall have 
 our own proper bodies, which shall be both spiritual 
 and glorious, ' like unto His glorious body.' To every 
 seed He will give a body as it pleaseth Him ; and there- 
 fore if we should be so nice or curious, as to question 
 God, or Christ, or his saints, or ministers, what man- 
 ner of bodies, and of what essence or substance they 
 shall be — or how bright, glorious, and spiritual — this 
 would bespeak a distrust, or unbelief of a future state 
 of saints in glory, and of the divine power, as well as 
 the appointment and promises of God and Christ, to 
 bring them into such a state of glory. Certainly if the 
 Lord own us for his children, and sons of God while in 
 this life, though ' yet it appears not what we shall be ; 
 we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like 
 Him ; for we shall see Him as lie is,' 1 John iii. 1, 2. 
 And our Lord Jesus Christ dcfclared : ' This is the will 
 of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the 
 Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life ; 
 and 1 will raise him up at the last day.' John vi. 40. 44. 
 And ' Father, 1 will that they also whoiu Thou hast 
 given Me, be where 1 am, that they may behold my 
 glory, which Thou hast given me,' &.c. John xvii. 24. 
 We may rest contented in the real faith and earnest 
 given us, of these glorious promises and privileges, 
 without being busy with unlearned questions or per- 
 verse disputings; or intruding into things not seen, or 
 secret unrevealed things which belong to God. And if 
 any should question what manner of change, or trans- 
 mutation Christ's body had, after He arose from the 
 dead, or in his ascension, or how it was changed, being 
 seen to have flesh and bones, and no blood in it, as sup-
 
 G. WiriTEIIEAD. 129 
 
 posed, when he was risen from the dead, as these ad- 
 versaries have uncertainly and dubiously suggested — 
 
 1 should conclude such busy intruders ought not to be 
 gratified nor answered, but to be avoided. 
 
 " We may without doubt believe Christ's body won- 
 derfully changed and glorified in his ascension, and that 
 Enoch, H<:b. xi. 5. who was translated that he should 
 not see death, was changed ; also the prophet Elijah, 
 
 2 Kings ii. 11. when he was taken up in a fiery chariot, 
 and by a whirlwind went into heaven ; whereby was 
 typified Christ's ascension, he being an eminent type of 
 Christ. We may without offence, believe Elijah's body 
 must be changed before he got into heaven, seeing ' flesh 
 and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God,' 1 Cor. 
 XV. 50. and yet without offence conclude, that the body ' 
 of Enoch, before he was translated, and the body of 
 Elijah, were not without blood in them ; or else they 
 had no such change as to be made meet for that king- 
 dom, which flesh and blood cannot inherit. 
 
 '• The great power and works of God in these trans- 
 actions and matters, should rather be occasion of admi- 
 ration than of disputation ; as well as the resurrection 
 by the power of Christ, and sudden change of the living 
 even ' in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the 
 last trump ; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead 
 shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.' 
 1 Cor. XV. 51, 52. 
 
 " It is by the great and glorious power of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ, the power and wisdom of God, that such 
 a sudden and wonderful chanfire must be effected, and 
 
 a^ 
 
 the dead raised incorruptible. Audit being ' appointed 
 for men once to die, and after this the judgment ;' and 
 that there shall be ' a resurrection both of the just and 
 unjust ;' and that it shall go well with the righteous, 
 but ill with the wicked; I have always believed it bet- 
 ter to labour to be righteous in this life, than to trouble 
 our heads and imaginations about what, or how we 
 shall be in the life to come, or what manner of bodies 
 or clothing we shall have in heaven ; and to trust the
 
 130 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 Lord therewith. Our chief care and concern should 
 now be, to walk in the way to heaven, to get thither 
 in the way of truth and righteousness and there we 
 shall not want, but enjoy all things to complete our joy 
 and felicity in heaven and eternal glory ; even in the 
 full fruition of that incorruptible inheritance which will 
 never fade away, * reserved in heaven for all them who 
 are kept by the power of God through faith unto sal- 
 vation.' 1 Pet. i. 4, 5. 
 
 " Many persons, by vain imaginations and high 
 thoughts, and intruding into things not seen [revealed] 
 and matters too high for them, and their human wis- 
 dom and carnal reason, do thereby darken themselves, 
 and cloud their understandings from the true sanctify- 
 ing and saving knowledge of God, and mystery of Christ 
 Jesus, and his power and Spirit, who is mighty and 
 powerful in Himself, and in his saints and members ; 
 who being spiritually united to Him, and thereby made 
 members of his body, are one body in Him ; so that 
 there is one body and one Spirit. Ephes. iv. 4. 
 
 " There arc other persons who in their singular opi- 
 nions, strange or new notions, exalt themselves in their 
 own conceits above all others, and thereby cause con- 
 tention, strife, and divisions, many times either about 
 words, critical distinctions, or things not essential to 
 salvation, or to the saving knowledge of the true God 
 or his Son Jesus Christ ; and thereby such endeavour 
 to make divisions and parties to themselves. 
 
 " When a person fearing God, and loving our Lord 
 Jesus Christ in sincerity and truth, confesscth a real 
 belief, faith, or hope, in terms of Holy Scripture, it is 
 sufficient ; whether it be of the suflfering, death, resur- 
 rection, or ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ into hea- 
 ven and glory ; or of his body being spiritual and glo- 
 rious in heaven. And as the saints, being spiritually 
 united to Him, are his Church and body also, and es- 
 teemed mystical while here on earth ; so their low or 
 humble body shall be changed and fashioned like unto 
 his glorious body. And I would advise all Friends to
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 131 
 
 keep to the words, terms, language, and doctrine of 
 Holy Scripture, and not to be wheedled or drawn from 
 the same, nor suffer themselves to be imposed upon, 
 either with unscriptural terms or unlearned questions, 
 by any contentious or carping adversaries whatsoever : 
 for foolish and unlearned questions, as well as profane 
 and vain babbling, must be avoided." 
 
 " ' Without controversy, great is the mystery 6f God- 
 liness : God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the 
 Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the gentiles, be- 
 lieved on in the world, received up into glory.' 1 Tim, 
 iii. 16. Now this mystery of Godliness, being a great 
 mystery without controversy, it is best for professors of 
 Christianity to keep out of controversies and shun per- 
 verse disputes of men of corrupt minds, with all their 
 unprofitable questions ; and to turn in their minds to 
 the Light of Christ, retire to the simplicity in Him, and 
 watch therein to understand this great mystery of God- 
 liness, both with respect to • God manifest in the flesh, 
 and justified in Spirit.' The manifestation and power 
 of Christ in the flesh, was excellent in Him; and there- 
 in by his most precious precepts and doctrine, his won- 
 derful works and miracles, his blessed example and suf- 
 ferings, he declared and showed forth the Holy design 
 of Christianity. And to be truly sensible of his being jus- 
 tified in Spirit, is very precious, and arises from a true, 
 spiritual, living knowledge and experience of Christ in 
 Spirit, and as known after the Spirit, and not after the 
 flesh, or any fleshly knowledge of Him ; for as wisdom 
 is justified, commended, and praised of her children by 
 the fruits thereof in them ; so Christ is justified and 
 exalted in Spirit, in his faithful followers, his holy ge- 
 neration and children. 
 
 " God and his great Power was wonderfully manifest 
 in Christ in the days of his flesh.; and He showed divers 
 signal tokens and signs of his Power in those days ; as 
 in his wonderful miracles ; laying down his life and 
 taking it up again ; in his transfiguration in the mount, 
 so that his face did shine as the sun, &c. Matt. xvii. in
 
 132 MEMOIKS, &C. 
 
 his appearing in divers forms after He arose from the 
 dead ; Markxv'i. 12. and at sundry times showing Him- 
 self, and appearing in the midst of his disciples, the door 
 being shut. John xx. 19. 26. And also when He sat 
 at meat with them, and in such a familiar manner 
 manifested Himself, that their eyes were opened that 
 they knew Him, He vanished out of their sight. Luke 
 xxiv. 30, 31. Such wonderful power He showed after 
 He was risen from the dead, to manifest Himself, and 
 confirm his disciples in the faith, knowledge, and testi- 
 mony of his resurrection, as well as in his ascension." 
 
 Not long after the dispute which we have been re- 
 lating, George Whitehead had another in the chancel 
 of the parish church, wdth John Horn, the minister; 
 and it appears that on both occasions a large number 
 of persons attended, and behaved with civility. The 
 discussions do not however appear to have increased 
 the satisfaction of the parties with each other ; and an 
 angry printed controversy ensued in which the points 
 debated between them were more fully treated on.
 
 ( 133 ) 
 
 SECTION VII. 
 
 Disputations with a Presbyterian minister at Lynn, on the Scrip- 
 tures, the resurrection of the body, the Trinity, &.c. — with an In- 
 dependent minister at Pulham, on the Light of Christ — meets a 
 minister in the steeple-house at Haddenham. — A meeting at Pe- 
 terborough — goes to Oaiiham — Coggeshall — BristoL 
 
 The opposition which the Friends and their cause 
 met with at Lynn, so far from discouraging George 
 Whitehead, stirred him up to be more frequent in his 
 visits ; that he might repel the misrepresentations which 
 were cast upon the cause he espoused ; and to prevent 
 serious enquirers from being misled, by the calumnies 
 of its opponents. He had considerable meetings with 
 his friends and others at Lynn, and besides his public 
 disputes with the parties just mentioned, he had three 
 public meetings with a Presbyterian minister of the 
 name of Falconer, at Lynn, in which they appear to 
 have discussed the points in dispute between them, in 
 a pretty amicable manner: I shall here only notice the 
 first question that George Whitehead was called upon 
 to answer, which was " whether there be Three Per- 
 sons in the Godhead." 
 
 George Whitehead, though he would not adopt the 
 expression " Three distinct Persons" in the Deity, as 
 being unscriptural, makes the following declaration. 
 
 "The Holy Scripture Trinity, or Three thereby 
 meant, we never questioned, but believed ; as also the 
 unity of essence, that they are one substance. One Di- 
 vine, Infinite Being; and also we question not, but sin- 
 cerely believe the relative properties of Father, Son, 
 and Holy Ghost; according to Holy Scripture testi- 
 mony. Mall, xxviii. 19. and that * these Three are One.' 
 1 John V. 7." 
 
 George Whitehead adds the following note upon this 
 subject ; " 1 well remember in some conference which 
 
 VOL. I. H
 
 134 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 I had with Dr. Tennison, Archbishop of Canterbury, 
 our friends Gilbert Latey and Dr. Thomas Lower, pre- 
 sent, the archbishop and I fell into some friendly dis- 
 course about the Trinity ; as to their definition of a 
 person ; what a person is. 1 told the archbishop I had 
 discoursed many, especially of the learned, about that 
 point ; and that upon the dehnition of a person, or what 
 the word person means, I never could find them con- 
 sistent, but contradictory to themselves, on their own 
 article of faith ; as when they thus define person, viz. 
 an intelligent being ; or individual substance, of a ra- 
 tional nature, as Thomas Aquinas, who has been quoted 
 against us, saith : * Persona est naturae rationalis indi- 
 vidua substantia, quae nee est pars alterius nee ah alio 
 sustentalur,' i. e. 'A person is an individual substance 
 of a rational nature, which is neither a part of another, 
 nor upheld by another.' I mentioning this to the arch- 
 bishop, told him withal, that to assert Three Persons 
 in the Deity, seeing they are not Three Beings nor 
 Three Substances, 1 confess I could never reconcile 
 with their being Three distinct or separate Persons, 
 and not Three Substances, but One Substance, or Be- 
 ing ; when a person is a rational substance by their own 
 account. And moreover they deem it blasphemy, to 
 hold the blessed Trinity to be three Substances or three 
 Beings, for that were to make them three Gods. How 
 then are they three distinct Persons, i. e. rational Sub- 
 stances 1 The use of these terms, as 1 told the arch- 
 bishop, I could never reconcile ; for if they be not three 
 distinct Substances, they are not three distinct Persons. 
 Unto which he ingeniously answered : ' It is safest or 
 best to keep to Scripture words or terms, in expressing 
 such weighty n»attersof faith concerning the Deity, and 
 not to express them in metaphysical terms of philoso- 
 phy, or the like, which are not in Holy Scripture.' And 
 truly I was glad when 1 heard such a honest confes- 
 sion from him." 
 
 In the year 1654 George Whitehead believed it his
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 135 
 
 religious duty to visit the city of Norwich and county 
 of Norwich; and county of Norfolk ; and, in the course 
 of his journey hearing of a noted preacher among the 
 Indcpendants, in the neighbourhood of Pulham, and 
 that he was to preach at Diss, George Whitehead, ac- 
 companied by Jlobert Duncan, went to the place ; and 
 havingheard all thatthepreacherhad to deliver, George 
 Whitehead called to him and said : " Thou art weighed 
 and found too light," &lc. It is not surprising, after 
 this address, that George was speedily pushed out of 
 the house ; but getting on to a tomb, he preached to the 
 people, pointing out " the barrenness and fruitlessness 
 of the people under such ministers," &.c. The people 
 heard him quietly for a considerable time ; yet on his 
 concluding, some were for putting him into the stocks, 
 but others prevented it ; and he was permitted to pro- 
 ceed quietly on his journey. 
 
 George Whitehead appears to have reverted to his 
 visit in the year 1C54, in order to introduce some par- 
 ticulars of a public dispute \vith the same Independent 
 minister, in the 8th month 1659, and which in point 
 of time falls in this part of his narrative. From the 
 account of this dispute I take the following extract. 
 
 " The first question propounded to Thomas Benton, 
 the preacher alluded to, to be discoursed on was : Whe- 
 ther every man in the world is enlightened with a spirit- 
 ual Light, yea, or nay ? 
 
 " His answer was, That he denied that every man is 
 enlightened with a spiritual Light, but with a natural 
 light, as the light of reason, creation light, or the like ; 
 yet he confessed that every man is enlightened by Christ 
 as a Creator, but not as a mediator. 
 
 " Herein his inconsistency was apparent : for, if eve- 
 ry man be enlightened by Christ as Creator, then is 
 every man enlightened with a spiritual, Divine light ; 
 for as Christ is Creator, He is a Divine, spiritual light, 
 and the Fountain of Light ; for God is a Spirit and 
 Light also, in whom is no darkness at all. 
 
 ♦< But to render the Light of the Creator natural or
 
 136 MEMOIRS or 
 
 natural reason, and the Light of Christ spiritual, is not 
 only to divide the Light, which is one, but to set the 
 hght of the Mediator above the Light of the Creator. 
 
 " John the evangelist testified of Christ the Word, 
 ' That was with God, and was God ; that He was the 
 True Light, which enlightens every man coming into 
 the world ; and that in llim was Life, and the Life was 
 the Light of men.'t/o/in i. 4. 9. This life of the Eternal 
 Word, is above any natural light or natural reason, for 
 it is a Divine Principle of Life and Light. 
 
 " And ' God who commanded JJght to shine out of 
 darkness, hath shined in our hearts ;' for what end ? 
 but ' to give us the Light of the knowledge of the glory 
 of God, in the face of Jesus Christ !' 2 Cor. iv. There- 
 fore before we have that knowledge or degree of Light 
 given, God shines in our hearts to give it unto us : and 
 still it is the Light and glory of one and the same God 
 and Christ Jesus, gradually revealed and made know 
 in us. 
 
 " And likewise what power, glory. Spirit, life, light, 
 and wisdom, the Son hath to give or impart unto men, 
 especially unto true believei's, his followers, it is all 
 first given to Him of the Father. He ' received gifts 
 for men ; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord 
 God might dwell among them.' Psalm Ixviii. 18. Of 
 whom did He receive them but of his Heavenly Father ? 
 
 " As our Heavenly Father and his dear Son are not 
 divided, no more is their Light; it is one individual 
 Light and Life ; the Fulness whereof dwells in Christ 
 the Son of the Living God, in whom ' it pleased the 
 Father, that all Fulness should dwell ;' Col. i. 19. and 
 ' to give all power in heaven and earth unto Him ;' 
 Matt, xxviii. 18. although ' unto every one of us is given 
 Grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.' 
 Eph. iv. 7. He who received the Spirit not by mea- 
 sure, but in immensity or immense Fulness, gives to us 
 by measure, and the knowledge thereof gradually, if 
 we be sincerely obedient to his gift.
 
 O. WHITEHEAD. 137 
 
 "The said Thomas Benton also affirmed, that if 
 those gentiles mentioned, Rom. ii. 14. had improved 
 that Light to the utmost which they had, it had not 
 beensuffici(Mit for them unto salvation. 
 
 " This still is relative to his mistaken notion, that they 
 had only a light from God the Creator, but not from 
 Christ the Mediator, which appears contrary to the 
 text, Rom. ii. 13, 14, 15. For both Jews and gentiles, 
 were all to be judged, even the secrets of men without 
 exception, by Jesus Christ, according to the Gospel. 
 ver. 16. But if they should be judged and condenmed, 
 either because they had not a sufficient light given 
 them of God to save them, or no gospel Light by Jesus 
 Christ to improve unto salvation; this were to render 
 God and Christ both unmerciful and unjust Judges. 
 What ! judge and condemn men for not improving, or 
 not obeying a Light, Law, or Gospel, they never had, 
 nor might have, if not given unto them ! Or when they 
 made the best improvement they could of that light 
 given unto them ; yet for all this, to fall short of salva- 
 tion, and consequently to be judged unto condemnation. 
 Oh! unmerciful and cruel, and contrary to common 
 justice among men ; and surely such doctrine cannot 
 be according to the Gospel of the free Grace of God in 
 Christ Jesus ; but rather agreeable to the partial nar- 
 row notion of Fredestinarians, and such as would by 
 their doctrine limit and confine the Grace and love of 
 God, only to a small select number of mankind ! 
 
 " Such partial opinion is manifestly repugnant to the 
 free and universal love of God ; with whose great love 
 his dear Son Jesus Christ was so fully replenished, that 
 He was well called the Son of his love ; which He hath 
 so freely and universally extended unto the world, ac- 
 cording to the good will of his Heavenly Father, in all 
 the good He hath done and given to the children of men ; 
 and therefore the love of Christ testified of in Holy 
 Scripture, is truly the love of God in Him to us all. 
 
 " And if God • spared not his own Son, but delivered 
 
 2 M
 
 138 MKM01R3 OF 
 
 Him up for us all ; how shall lie not with Him also, 
 freely give us all things !' Rom. viii. 32. 
 
 " Jesus Christ showed his own and Heavenly Father's 
 great love to all men, as He is the Light of the world, 
 and given for a light unto the gentiles, and to be God's 
 Salvation to the ends of the earth; and also in His dy- 
 ing for all men ; by the grace of God tasting death for 
 every man ; giving Himself a ransom for all men, and in 
 making intercession both for transgressors and for the 
 saints : also, according to the will of God, He appears 
 in the Presence of God for us, even in heaven itself; 
 and also by his Holy Spirit in all true believers : His 
 Spirit maketh intercession, helpeth ourintirmities, moves 
 and assists us in prayer. They who arc sons of God, 
 are sensible that ' He hath sent forth the Spirit of his 
 Son into their hearts, crying Abba, Father !' Gal. iv. 6. 
 
 " The humility, mercy, and condescension of Jesus 
 Christ, our Blessed Mediator, are such, that He is touch- 
 with the feeling of our intirmities, weaknesses, and 
 temptations, and ready to succour, help, and relieve 
 all them that are tempted, even by his Grace and good 
 Spirit, in their drawing near to the throne of his Mercy 
 and Grace. 
 
 "O faithful Creator! O King of saints! O merciful 
 High Priest ! O compassionate Mediator ! Let thy Light 
 and thy Truth shine forth more and more, to the glory 
 of thy great and excellent name and power, and expel 
 the great darkness of apostacy, that has covered many 
 nations and professions of Christianity, and greatly ap- 
 peared in these latter times against thy Light, thy 
 Truth, and people, whom (hou hast called and deliver- 
 ed out of darkness, into thy marvellous Light. Glory 
 and dominion be to thy great Name and power, for ever 
 and ever ! 
 
 " To return to the matter in controversy : my oppo- 
 ser Thomas Benton affirmed, that it was a corrupt na- 
 ture by which those gentiles, mentioned Rom. ii. 14. did 
 those things contained in the law, which he confessed 
 was the moral law, or ten commandments.
 
 O. WUITEHEAD. 139 
 
 ** Herein (he man was as far out as in the rest of 
 his mistakes : for who can bring a clean thing out of 
 an unclean ? Do men gather grapes of thorns'? Or can 
 an evil tree bring forth good fruit? No surely ! no more 
 could those gentiles by a corrupt, unsanctilied nature, 
 do those things contained in the righteous Law of God ; 
 which requires sincere and entire love to llim, and true 
 love to our neighbours as to ourselves. 
 
 " Other errors were at that dispute committed by 
 the said Thomas Benton, as, thai those mentioned, Rom. 
 i. 20. saw the invisible things of God by a natural light; 
 and that natural men mi>fht clearly see the Eternal 
 Power of God as a Creator, but not Christ as a Media- 
 tor. 
 
 " Herein his mistake is notorious ; for the invisible 
 things of God there mentior)ed, are his Eternal Power 
 and Deity or Godhead; and they who understood and 
 saw them from the creation, were of those gentiles who 
 knew God, and yet liked not to retain Him in their 
 knowledge ; but became vain in their imaginations, 
 whereby their foolish hearts became darkened ; and so 
 they became miserable apostates: howbeit, thesightand 
 knowledge they sometimes had of God and his Eternal 
 Power, was not by a natural light or knowledge ; but 
 by a spiritual Divine Light given them of God; and 
 their knowledge they had of God, and their understand- 
 ing and sight of his invisible things, originally sprang 
 from a divine principle in them ; seeing that which 
 might be known of God, was manifest in them ; for it 
 was God that showed the same unto them. Rom. i. 
 Insomuch that they themselves were without excuse, 
 in their declension from the same : for it is plain, that 
 ' the natural man, neither recciveth, nor can know the 
 things of the Spirit of God, they being spiritually dis- 
 cerned.' 1 Cor. ii. 14. 
 
 " Men must be changed ; they must be renewed in 
 the spirit of their minds, in some measure, betbre they 
 can clearly see or know the invisible things of God, or 
 of his Spirit ; for it is not by the spirit of this world, nor
 
 140 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 by the wisdom thereof, nor yet by any merely natural 
 light, that those things of God, are made known unto 
 us, but by the Spirit which is of God. 1 Cor. ii. This 
 Spirit being obeyed, we follow God's teachings and 
 drawings, and shall not fall short of the knowledge of 
 Christ our Mediator, nor be deprived of t"he great bene- 
 fit or fruit of his mediation; who said, that, every man 
 that hath heard and learned of the Father, cometh un- 
 to Me. John vi. 45. And Christ Jesus the Son of God, 
 being the Way to the Father, no man cometh unto the 
 Father but by Him." 
 
 The dispute ended peaceably ; and there was sub- 
 sequently a considerable addition to the Society in 
 those parts. 
 
 The next public dispute in which George Whitehead 
 was engaged, was with a minister of Bluntisham and 
 Earith, in Huntingdonshire ; but the meeting was held 
 at Haddenham, in the Isle of Ely, in Cambridgeshire. 
 It appears to have been chiefly on one side, the minis- 
 ter occupying most of the time in reviling the Quakers, 
 without allowing his antagonist to reply. The people 
 repeatedly called out to their pastor to allow George to 
 be heard, and the priest at lengtlj leaving the assem- 
 bly, George Whitehead says : " I had a very good op- 
 portunity to declare and demonstrate the Truth, and 
 preach the Gospel to the peo])le ; and v^'hen I had 
 thereby cleared my conscience, I gave them public no- 
 tice of a meeting I intended, if the Lord pleased, to 
 have the next day at the same town. So we all went 
 peaceably out of their steeple-house ; and the next day, 
 according to appointment, we had a very good and 
 serviceable meeting, to which divers men of account 
 came." 
 
 The narrative of George Whitehead proceeds as 
 follows : — 
 
 " After 1 had travelled and laboured some time in 
 the work of the Gospel, in Cambridgeshire, Hunting- 
 donshire, the Isle of Ely, and some parts of Lincoln-
 
 a. WIIITKHBAD. 
 
 141 
 
 shire, as that called Holland, &.C., as also in some parts 
 of Northamptonshire, 1 was much pressed in spirit, to 
 endeavour for a meeting in the city of Peterborough, 
 though I heard of no Friends there to receive me, or 
 our Friends; but upon enquiry, a sober honest minded 
 man, of reputation and quality, was willing to have a 
 meeting at his house, which accordingly was appointed 
 to be on a First-day of the week, in the first or second 
 month, in the year IGOO. And many Friends from 
 divers parts adjacent, resorted to it, out of the Fens, 
 and some out of Rutlandshire, &c. 
 
 " In the week before the meeting, 1 had a great 
 weight and sense upon my spirit, that we should have 
 some trial and exercise, by suffering, at that meeting, 
 being sensible of the great darkness and wickedness 
 that were in that city, though but a little one; and so 
 it came to pass, for when otir Friends began to meet in 
 the house, the mob and rude people gathered about it 
 and in the yard, in such a rude and turbulent manner, 
 as if they were minded to pull down the house ; where- 
 upon we thought it best to remove the meeting into 
 the court yard adjoining, being unwilling the honest 
 man's house should any ways be damaged by that rude 
 crew; and I was resigned in the will of the Lord, ra- 
 ther to be given into their hands, than that the family 
 where we met, should sutfer on account of the meeting 
 being there. 
 
 "After we were removed into the yard, I was moved 
 to stand up, and in the Name of the Lord, to preach 
 the Truth for near an hour ; and the Lord stood by 
 me and strengthened me, so as I was enabled livingly 
 to declare the Truth, with a free resignation also to 
 sutfer what violence or evil He should permit the 
 wicked to do, or inflict upon me; for I had often be- 
 fore that time resigned life and liberty for the Gospel's 
 sake. 
 
 " While I was declaring the Truth, a man who they 
 said was an inn-keeper, with a rude company after 
 him, rushing violently and furiously, came in, aiming
 
 142 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 chiefly to pull me down. The meeting being some- 
 what crowded, he could not readily get at me ; in the 
 mean time, others threw dirt at me, whereby my head 
 and face were greatly daubed, yet I went on declaring 
 the Truth. The furious man still striving to come at 
 me, took up a stool by the feet, and heaving it up to 
 strike such as were in his way, a Friend standing by, 
 caught hold of it as he was making his blow, to prevent 
 the same ; yet notwithstanding he gave an ancient 
 woman, a friend of ours, a blow with the edge of it on 
 the side of her head, which made such a wound on her 
 temple, near her eye, that it was thought, if his blow 
 had fallen directly on her head, it might have beaten 
 out her brains ; but the Lord providentially prevented 
 that. 
 
 " Still the man's fury and rage seemed to be chiefly 
 against me, and his struggle to get at me ; so that ra- 
 ther than he should do more mischief, 1 desired the 
 meeting might make way, that he might come to me ; 
 for I was really above the fear of any hurl, he or they 
 could do to me. Then he and his company came, and 
 violently pulled me down ; and when I was in their 
 hands, I felt much ease in my spirit, being sensible the 
 Lord was secretly pleading my cause with them, so 
 that their fury was immediately abated, and their spi- 
 rits down ; insomuch that they were restrained from 
 doing me harm ; only they haled me out of the meet- 
 ing, through part of their cathedral church, so termed, 
 there being a passage open ; and then they quickly let 
 me go. 
 
 " There were some soldiers, as it was said, of Lam- 
 bert's, or the old army, then quartered in Peterborough, 
 who were spectators, and beheld how 1 and others 
 were treated and abused, at the said meeting : and 
 some of them took compassion, and had us to one of 
 their quarters; where I washed the dirt off my face. 
 
 " Some Friends with me, were then directed into an 
 upper room in the inn, where we sat together, waiting 
 upon the Lord for some time, I think near two hours ;
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 143 
 
 and the Lord comforted and refreshed our spirits ; and 
 He put it into my heart to return again to the same 
 house, from which I had been haled away out of the 
 meeting ; and several sober people were there gather- 
 ed together, in the afternoon, and 1 had a good meeting 
 and service for the Lord, in bearing testimony for his 
 blessed Truth among them ; and we held the meeting 
 quietly, and parted peaceably. 
 
 " After the meeting was over, I left Peterborough, 
 and some Friends rode with me, and I went away 
 thence much comforted, and refreshed in the Lord my 
 God ; having felt his living power and presence with me 
 and my friends, to our preservation, and deliverance 
 out of the hands of unreasonable men ; though they had 
 shown their fury and madness against us that day, but 
 were not suffered to do us much harm ; except the 
 aforesaid ancient woman friend's being wounded, as be- 
 fore related. 
 
 " The same evening, we rode a few miles to an hon- 
 est friend's house, I think his name was John Mason, 
 who had left the army, received the Truth, and be- 
 came a serviceable friend."
 
 ( 144 ) 
 
 SECTION vin. 
 
 Restoration of the Monarchy — King Charles's declaration for li- 
 berty of conscience. — Uemarks on his sincerity.— Fifth-monarchy- 
 men. — Proclamation against conventicles, and consequent re- 
 newal of persecution — G. Whitehead's imprisonment with 
 others in Norwich castle ; released by the king's proclamation. — 
 Henry Kettle, formerly mayor of Thetford. — Act of Parliament 
 respecting Friends' refusal to take any oath — The endeavours 
 of Friends to prevent the bill passing the House of Commons. 
 
 George Whitehead begins the second part of his 
 *' Christian Progress" with devout and grateful acknow- 
 ledgments of the Lord's power, goodness, and special 
 Providence, evinced in his preservation and deliverance 
 from the will of his enemies, who sought his destruc- 
 tion ; and in having strengthened him to perform the 
 work in which he was engaged ; so that he says, his 
 spirit was preserved in faith and patience, to obey and 
 serve God with sincere resolution, in the work of the 
 Gospel. " Let my soul forever bless and praise the 
 worthy Name and Power of the Lord my God !" 
 
 In the year 1660 the government of the Common- 
 wealth, under which the Society had endured so much 
 persecution, came to an end ; and preparations were 
 made for the return of king Charles the second.* The 
 
 * The following sketch of the state of the nation at this time, as 
 given by Rapin, may not be uninteresting to some readers. 
 
 "At the arrival of the king the face of England was entirely 
 changed, and joy, pleasures, public and private rejoicings, succeed- 
 ed to trouble and consternation. The people were so tired of the 
 life they had led for twenty years past, that they did not believe it 
 possible to be in a worse state. Every one rejoiced to see at least 
 a calm after so long a storm, and expected to enjoy a tranquility 
 sought in vain for so many years. The Royalists and Episcopa- 
 lians were at once raised to the height of their wishes, in behold- 
 ing Charles H. on the throne of his ancestors; and the Church of 
 England about to resume her former lusire. The Presbyterians 
 flattered themselves, that their late services for the king, would at 
 least procure them an entire liberty of conscience, and the free ex-
 
 O. WHITEHEAD. ' 145 
 
 Declaration of liberty to tender consciences, which the 
 king had made from Breda, and which having been pre- 
 sented to the house of peers, was ordered to be publish- 
 ed, had doubtless a considerable efFect in preparing the 
 minds of some of those who had been in favour of the 
 Commonwealth for the king's return. The following 
 extract is made from this Declaration, which is equally 
 remarkable for the fairness of its promise, and the faith- 
 lessness of its execution. 
 
 *' And because the passion and uncharitableness of 
 the times, have produced several opinions in religion, 
 by which men are engaged in parties and animosities 
 against each other, which, when they shall hereafter 
 be united in a freedom of conversation, will be com- 
 posed or better understood — We do declare a liberty to 
 tender consciences; and that no man shall be disquiet- 
 ed or called in question, for differences of opinion in 
 matters of religion, which do not disturb the peace of 
 the kingdom ; and that we shall be ready to consent to 
 such an act of parliament, as, upon mature delibera- 
 tion, shall be oflcrcd to us for the full granting of that 
 indulgence." 
 
 Whether the king or his advisers were sincere in the 
 professions which were made at this juncture, cannot 
 perhaps be absolutely determined : George Whitehead 
 is inclined to think, that the king was not himself dis- 
 posed to persecution. It is observable, however, that 
 when it was proposed in Parliament, that the substance 
 of the king's declaration in regard to religious liberty 
 should be embodied in an act, the secretary of state 
 rose and opposed it ; and it was in consequence lost. 
 It was not perhaps unnatural to infer from hence, the 
 king's indisposition to the measure of toleration ; but 
 when his love of ease and pleasure is taken into ac- 
 
 ercise of their religion. The Republicans, Independents, and Ana- 
 baptists, could not indeed hope to be restored to the state tiiey had 
 enjoyed so many years, but expected at least an entire impunity, 
 agreeably to the Breda declaration." Editor. 
 
 VOL. I. N
 
 146 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 count, and the general disinclination of most influential 
 persons of all parties to the granting of general liberty 
 of conscience; Ave can hardly infer the king's real sen- 
 timent from the conduct of his government. If even, 
 as a matter of taste and general feeling, he would have 
 preferred seeing all his subjects worship as they please; 
 as a matter of principle, enervated as his mind must 
 have been by profligate habits, and imbued with popish 
 principles, it is not to be supposed that he would right- 
 ly estimate the claims of tender consciences, or have 
 energy to execute what he even desired. If the Epis- 
 copalians were now indisposed to toleration, the king 
 would not have forgotten how, when he was in the 
 hands of the Scotch, the latter had made him confess 
 the sinfulness of toleration in general j and that just 
 before his restoration, they had sent over a deputation 
 to Holland, to remind him that the kirk of Scotland ex- 
 pected protection upon the footing of the Presbyterian 
 establishment, without indulgence to sectaries. He knew 
 also, with how little toleration to others the Indepen- 
 dents had exercised their authority; and that there 
 was not any considerable party, whose favour he would 
 obtain by supporting his declaration from Breda. The 
 just principles which the declaration contained, would 
 appear to many, at that time, as dangerous, and per- 
 haps to most as theoretical : so that any abuse of li- 
 berty, or ebullition of enthusiastic feeling, would be 
 likely to furnish the alarmists with an argument suffi- 
 cient to excite popular fears; and thus to give again 
 the reins of government, in ecclesiastical matters, to 
 those who were disposed to drive all, by pains and pe- 
 nalties, into an external uniformity in matters of wor- 
 ship. 
 
 Such an occurrence was not long wanting : a few 
 months after the king had ascended the throne, arose 
 the insurrection of the Fifth-monarchy-men, a set of 
 persons about thirty-five in number; who, imagining 
 that the one thousand years' reign of Christ, spoken of 
 Rev. XX. was just commencing, ran about the streets of
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 147 
 
 London well armed, determined to put down the reign 
 of king Charles; and, applying those words of Scrip- 
 ture to themselves, that " one should chase a thousand," 
 they made their attempt with a degree of fury and vio- 
 lence proportioned to their confidence. 
 
 There was not the smallest ground for connecting 
 this mad insurrection with any considerable religious 
 party ; and certainly least of all with the poor Qua- 
 kers, who had sutFercd so mucii during the interreg- 
 num, and had steadily supported their Christian prin- 
 ciple against all fightivg. Nevertheless, in those evil 
 days, it proved sufficient to excite against dissenters 
 generally, that undistinguishing feeling which is com- 
 mon to weak and ignorant minds ; and it gave the 
 court, now under Episcopalian influence, a sufficient 
 pretext for reviving persecution, by the issuing of a pro- 
 clamation, PROHIBITING all unlawful and seditious meet- 
 ings and conventicles, under pretence of religious wor- 
 ship, &,c. 
 
 'i'he proclamation states: "That some evil effects 
 have already ensued, to the disturbance of the public 
 peace, by insurrection and murder, by reason of the 
 meetings of Anabaptists, and Quakers, and Fifth-mo- 
 narchy-men, and such like appellations, &-C. 
 
 " And to the intent that none of these persons, who 
 have presumed to make so ill an use of our indulgence, 
 may be strengthened in such their proceedings, &,c. 
 
 " No meeting whatsoever of the persons aforesaid, 
 under pretence of worshipping God, shall at any time 
 hereafter be permitted and allowed ; unless it be in 
 some parochial church or chapel in this realm, or in 
 private houses by the persons there inhabiting ; and 
 that all meetings and assemblies whatsoever, in order 
 to any spiritual worship and serving of God, by the 
 persons aforesaid, unless in the places aforesaid, shall 
 be esteemed, and are hereby declared to be unlawful 
 assemblies, and shall be prosecuted accordingly : and 
 the persons therein assembled, shall be proceeded 
 against, as riotously and unlawfullv assembled, &,c.
 
 148 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 " And we do will and command our justices, that 
 they cause the oath of allegiance to be tendered to 
 every person, so brought before them, &c." 
 
 " Hereupon," says the narrative, " the most irreligi- 
 ous and profane sort of people were animated, and took 
 occasion against our religious and peaceable meetings, 
 eagerly to endeavour to suppress them ; being encour- 
 aged by the new juj<tices and magistrates, then got into 
 commission. The vile and profane, and most wicked 
 of all sorts, being lifted up and exalted in their spirits, 
 upon the restoration of the king and his accession to 
 the crown, were then triumphant and insulting against 
 all religious dissenters; and especially threatening the 
 Quakers, and their meetings, with ruin, &c.* And see- 
 
 * Whatever might have been the vices of the Commonvt^ealth, 
 certain it is tiiat tlic restoration of monarchy opened the very flood- 
 gates of vice. 
 
 " With the restoration of the king," says Burnet, " a spirit of 
 extravagant joy spread over the nation, that broiiglit in witii it the 
 throwing oft' the very professions of virtue and piety : all ended in 
 entertainments and drunkenness, which overrun the three king- 
 doms to such a degree, that it very much corrupted all their morals. 
 Under the cover of drinking the king's health, there were great 
 disorders and much riot every where." And speaking of the first 
 session of Parliament after the king's return, he says : '' It was a 
 mad, roaring time, full of extravagance : and no wonder it was so, 
 when the men of aftairs were almost perpetually drunk." 
 
 Edward Burrough at this time published a work, dedicated to all 
 rulers in the Christian world ; in which, " with sound arguments," 
 says Sewel, " he manifested the unhiwfulness and injustice of 
 persecution — from whence it had its rise — and how dangerous it 
 was to impose religion." 
 
 George Fox the younger, who was then a prisoner, addressed a 
 very plain and forcible expostulation to the king, on account of the 
 vices which jirevailed under his sanction, and the disposition which 
 lie thought he saw to restore popery. The following passages will 
 show the innocent courage of the writer, in these arbitrary days: 
 *'Thc King of kings hath beheld I yea, the King of kings hath seen 
 even all thy actings In the dark ; and He hath traced thy walking 
 in obscure places ; and thou hast not hid thy counsels from the 
 Almighty ; but lie hath seen all the intents of thy heart, and thy 
 good words have not at all deceived Him, nor ihose that purely 
 stood in his counsel." 
 
 "Thou hast highly displeased the Lord God, by thy suffering 
 persecution to be acted in thy name, even whilst thou in words
 
 G. WUITEUEAD. 149 
 
 ing what a great flood of wickedness and debauchery- 
 was broken forth, and religion and virtue despised, we 
 then expected no other but severe and hard treatment 
 from our persecutors, whose hearts were set in them to 
 endeavour our ruin, or to root us out of the land: 
 dark clouds then appearing, and threatening a great 
 storm. 
 
 " Insomuch that at a certain time, when I was tra- 
 velling alone on the high-way, and in earnest supplica- 
 tion to the Lord, and spreading our case and my com- 
 plaint before Him, in deep humility and contrition of 
 spirit, 1 said in my heart and in expressions : ' O Lord ! 
 
 hast promised liberty; yea, many are this day in holes and prisons, 
 for t!ie testimony of a good conscience, and obeying the doctrine of 
 Christ. Oh ! the Lord is grieved with the pride and wickedness 
 that is lived in, both in thy family and dominions ; and thou thy- 
 self hast not been such a pattern and example amongst them as 
 thou oughtesl to have been. Oh, friend 1 when I behold the wick- 
 edness, cruelty, and oppression, that abound in this nation in open 
 view, and also the secret abominations which are committed, and 
 are plotting and lurking in the chambers; verily, my life is even 
 bowed down because of the fierce wrath of the Almighty which I 
 see is kindled, and because of the great destruction which I see at- 
 tends tiie wicked ; whose ends and counsels the Lord will frustrate, 
 and upon whom He will pour out everlasting contempt. Yea, and 
 it hath been oft in me, before thou camest last into the land and 
 since, even when it hath been shown me what idolatry is intended 
 in secret to be brought in ; that certainly it had been better for 
 thee that thou hadst never come ; for I have seen it tending to thy 
 destruction. And when I have seen the abomination and cruelties 
 which are committed and intended, there hath a pity arose in me 
 towards thee for thy soul's sake; and it hath been my desire, if it 
 might stand with the will of God, that Me would put it into thy 
 heart to go out of the land again, that so thy life might bo preserv- 
 ed, and that thou mightest have time to repent : for although many 
 men flatter and applaud thee for self ends, yet the Lord is displeased 
 with thy ways. Let no man deceive thee by feigned words. God 
 will not be mocked : such as thou sowest, such must thou reap. 
 Tliou canst not hide thyself J>om the Lord ; nor deliver thyself 
 from the stroke of his hand." 
 
 The ki g is said to have read this faithful warning with attention. 
 The duke of York, who also read it, was very indignant, and urged 
 the king to punish the writer; to which he replied good naturedly : 
 " // were belter for us to mend our /ires." — SeweVs Hist. p. 497 — 501 
 vol. i. 8vo. edit. Editor- 
 
 N 2
 
 150 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 this wicked persecuting spirit, that is got up and let 
 loose, will sccif to lay waste, and root Ihy heritage and 
 people out of tlie land: Oh ! Lord, plead our cause; 
 plead the cause of Thy people, Thy seed and heritage.' 
 Whereupon the Lord gave me this answer, viz. 
 
 " 'The wicked shall not have their evil designs ac- 
 complished, against my people ; 1 will frustrate their 
 wicked purposes ; they shall not root my heritage out 
 of the land, though they be suffered for a time to perse- 
 cute and try my people; I will stand by and defend, 
 and in due time deliver them,' &.c. Yea, and to this 
 purpose, and much more of the same tendency, has the 
 Lord often livingly signiiied and revealed to me, by his 
 Holy Spirit, even in times of deep suffi^ring and trials; 
 tliat under them, or any of them, I might not faint nor 
 be discouraged; but still believe to see the goodness of 
 the Lord in the land of the living, where praises ever 
 live to Him. 
 
 " After the aforesaid insurrection, and the said pro- 
 clamation was issued out ; then persecution, outrage, 
 and violence, quickly broke out in the land ; then the 
 roaring, raging, busy persecutors bestirred themselves, 
 to hunt up and down after religious meetings, assem- 
 blies, and congregations, which they unjustly termed 
 seditious conventicles, to break up and disperse them, 
 and cause many to be imprisoned and confined in nasty 
 jails; where great numbers of innocent persons then 
 suffered, in most counties of England and Wales, espe- 
 cially of the people called Quakers; whose meetings 
 were most apparent and open, and most easily come at. 
 
 " Our Friends were not wanting to plead and make 
 known their innocent cause, to the king and govern- 
 ment, both by word and writing ;* and to show how 
 
 * There was, at this time, about one thousand five hundred 
 Friends in prison ; and Neal, in his liistory of the Puritans, says, 
 that on the Quaiters representing to the king tlieir peaceable and 
 harmless character, " he promised them, on the word of a king, that 
 they should not suffer for their opinions as long as they lived peace- 
 ably ; but his word was little regarded."
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 151 
 
 clear their religious meetings were, from any sedition, 
 plots, conspiracies, or contriving of insurrections against 
 the government or nation ; and consequently no such 
 meetings are by law deemed conventicles, unlawful, or 
 riotous meetings. So that those persecutions and pun- 
 ishments, indicted upon us because of other men's 
 crimes, appeared to be no small perversion of justice, 
 as well as injury done to many hundreds of honest 
 industrious families ; whose innocent cause the Lord in 
 his own time pleaded in those days; and since hath not 
 been wanting to stand by, and help his faithful people 
 in their times of need." 
 
 In these days of persecution George Whitehead bore 
 his share of sulfering. He gives the following account 
 of his commitment to Norwich castle, with three other 
 Friends, viz. John and Joseph J^awrence and William 
 Barber. " With many more of our Friends, being 
 peaceably met together for the worship and service of 
 God, at a meeting at Pulham-Mary, Norfolk, while we 
 were calling upon the Lord in prayer, one in the place 
 of a chief constable, with a company of horsemen and 
 footmen, without warrant from any justice, came with 
 halberts, pistols, swords, pitchforks, clubs, and hedge- 
 stakes, and haled us and other of our Friends out of 
 the said meeting ; and the next day we were carried 
 on horseback several miles, and had before one Thomas 
 Talbot, justice of peace, near Wymondham, wljo com- 
 mitted us to prison upon information which the consta- 
 ble gave him in writing, touching tlie said meeting; 
 wherein we were falsely accused of being unlawfully 
 met together. There appeared none to prove the 
 
 Burnet's character of him was but too often illustrated by his con- 
 duct to the suffering Friends ; though it must be allowed he did 
 in some instances, render tiiem services. " He had a softness of 
 temper that cliarmed all who came near him, till they found how 
 little they could depend on good looks, kind words, and fair pro- 
 mises, in which he was liberal to excess ; because he intended 
 nothing by them, but to get rid of importunities, and to silence all 
 further pressing upon him," Editor.
 
 152 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 charge against us ; nevertheless we were next day sent 
 to Norwich castle. 
 
 " Persecution being then generally stirred up against 
 our Friends throughout the nation, nnost prisons were 
 filled with them, because of their religious meetings. 
 Many of them were committed to Norwich castle ; and 
 their meetings disturbed, and broken up, from one end 
 of the county to the other, and likewise in the city of 
 Norwich ; insomuch that about thirty were then crowd- 
 ed in that old nasty jail. And there being a hole in a 
 corner of the castle wall, called the vice, we, the four 
 Friends before mentioned, betook ourselves to it, to 
 lodge in; though a poor, narrow hole, without any 
 chimney in it ; yet there \vc got up two little beds, and 
 lodged two in each. Having an old decayed stone 
 arch over it, the rain came so much in upon us, that 
 we could not well keep it off our beds, though we set 
 dishes or basons to keep off what we could. In the 
 cold of winter we burnt a little charcoal in evenings, 
 which we found somewhat injurious and suffocating, 
 having no vent for the smoke or steam ; and in the day 
 time, we endeavoured often to keep ourselves warm, 
 by walking upon the castle hill, and under the wall, 
 being within the liberty of the prison ; and though it 
 was a cold bleak place in winter, we were glad that 
 we had that benefit of the air. 
 
 " Yet we chose this hole in the wall for our lodging, 
 partly for (he ease of our other Friends, who were too 
 much crowded in a better room below. We had many 
 good and comfortable meetings together, without dis- 
 turbance ; several friendly persons being let into pri- 
 son to meet with us, on first-days especially ; insomuch, 
 that at that time the prison became a sanctuary to us ; 
 as prisons and jails were to many of our poor innocent 
 suffering Friends, when persecution was hot and per- 
 secutors raging and roaring abroad ; and we praying, 
 and praising the Lord our God, in prisons, jails, and 
 holes. 
 
 ♦' Our said Friends, William Barber and John Law-
 
 G. WIIITEHKAD. 153 
 
 rence, havinej been men of note, and captains in the 
 ComtnouwoaUli's day, it appeared in thern great self- 
 denial and subjection to the cross of Christ, patiently 
 so to suffer for his name and Truth's sake. 
 
 "In the time of that imprisonment in Norwich cas- 
 tle, near the latter end of winter, or about the begin- 
 ning of the first month, 16GI, I was taken sick of an 
 ague and fever ; v/hich brought me so low and weak, 
 that some Friends who came to visit me were ready to 
 take their last leave of me, thinking I should die in that 
 prison. 
 
 " The time for our appearing at the spring assizes 
 at Thetford drawing near, I believed I should be ena- 
 bled to ride thither ; for we were all to appear who 
 were prisoners for our religious meetings. And in order 
 to my going to the assizes, my horse was brought to the 
 prison door, three days before the assizes began. 1 
 rode with John Lawrence to his house at Wrampling- 
 ham, on the seventh day of the week, it being five or 
 six miles on my way toward Thetford ; and stayed 
 there the next day and night following; and then we 
 took horse for Thetford, being about twenty miles from 
 Norwich. The weather being cold, a hail-shower took 
 us, and 1 was again taken with a fit of the ague on the 
 road, before we got to Thetford ; yet with the Lord^s 
 help, I held on, and grew better by the time we came 
 to Thetford ; and that same afternoon, could readily 
 walk up to the top of that noted mount or hill, which 
 is by the town. We met the rest of our Friends, who 
 came from Norv.'ich castle, at Thetford prison ; where 
 we were in the day time, after the assizes began ; but 
 at night had liberty to lodge at our Friends' fiouses, in 
 or near the town. 
 
 " Judge Ilale and judge Windham were the two jus- 
 tices who served at the same assizes, and judge Wind- 
 ham sat on the crown side; who in his charge terribly 
 threatened dissenters, and such as would not go to the 
 parish church and conform, or that kept conventicles 
 or unlawful meetings; giving the country notice of
 
 154 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 divers ancient penal severe laws made against such, 
 and causing some of them to be read in court ; as an 
 ancient Friend, Elizabeth Hawes, then living at Snare 
 Hill near Thetford, gave me a full account with tears, 
 after she had heard the said charge ; she being very sor- 
 rowful to see how they were bent on persecution. To 
 encourage her, I signified the Lord would plead our 
 cause and stand by us ; and I would have no Friends 
 discouraged, but be faithful to the Lord and valiant 
 for the Truth upon earth. 
 
 " 1 was called four times into court before the assizes 
 were over ; and particularly questioned, for what cause 
 I came into that country from my own ; to which I 
 gave the Judges a sober and conscientious account, 
 that 1 was called of the Lord to preach repentance 
 and to bear testimony to the truth, against hypocrisy, 
 sin, and wickedness. 
 
 " Being required to take the oath of allegiance, I 
 told the judges, that Christ hath commanded us not to 
 swear at all, Malt. v. ; and his apostle James, who well 
 knew the mind of Christ, exhorted; ' Above all things, 
 my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by 
 the earth, neither by any other oath ; but let your yea 
 be yea, and your nay, nay ; lest ye fall into condemna- 
 tion.' James v. 12. From whence I inferred, if we may 
 not swear by any other oath, then not by the oath of 
 allegiance. Therefore 1 cannot swear at all, nor take 
 any oath ; either that of allegiance or any other. The 
 judges did not dispute the point ; but seeing that 1 and 
 the rest of our Friends, then prisoners, were all of a 
 mind in that case, that we all refused to swear, choos- 
 ing rather to suffer for conscience, we were remanded 
 to the prison in Thetford. 
 
 " Before the assizes were ended, some of us were 
 again called into court ; and an indictment read against 
 me, and some others of us, stuffed with false and bitter 
 accusations and invectives, because we refused to take 
 the oath of allegiance ; that being the snare then gen- 
 erally laid against us ; for which we were accused and
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 155 
 
 charged with wilfulness, obstinacy, and contempt 
 against the king, his crown and dignity, and such like 
 undue and injurious charges. Being required to plead 
 guilty or not guilty, I began to distinguisli upon the 
 indictment, that something of it was true, that we re- 
 fused to take the said oath, but it was not out of any 
 contempt and obstinacy against the king or govern- 
 ment, but innocently for conscience' sake, in obedience 
 to Christ's command. Judge Windham urging us to 
 plead guilty, or not guilty, thereby to prevent me from 
 further speaking, to open our case or plead our innocen- 
 cy, 1 waved pleading in those terms unless he would suf- 
 fer me to plead specially, with distinction, on the several 
 parts of the charge, in order to manifest the inconsisten- 
 cy thereof, and our clearness and innocence who were 
 the sulFerers. The said judge then grew offended, be- 
 cause I was not willing to be confined only to plead 
 guilty or not guilty ; and he was for having me taken 
 away and remanded to prison ; whereupon I returned 
 him this answer; that Paul, when a prisoner, was per- 
 mitted to plead and speak for himself before king 
 Agrippa, Acts xxvi. and before the Roman or heathen 
 magistrates and rulers. It is therefore a hard case we 
 may not be suffered to be heard, or plead for ourselves 
 before you, who profess yourselves to be Christian ma- 
 gistrates. Whereupon the Judge nppeared angry ; and 
 1 was quickly removed out of court. ' Take him away 
 gaoler,' was such a knocking argument in those days, 
 that it must not be disputed : yet judge Hale behaved 
 himself more mildly and gently toward us. 
 
 '• It was observed, that when several of us the priso- 
 ners were called into court together, some of the coun- 
 try justices on the bench would be accusing us, to judge 
 Windham, to incense him against us, and especially 
 against John Hubbard, sen. of Stoke-Ferry inNorfolk, and 
 others, for receiving and entertaining the Quakers and 
 their preachers at their houses. Whereupon John Hub- 
 bard, seeing the envy of those persecutors and accusers, 
 who would make him an oflender for entertaining stran-
 
 156 MKMOIKS OF 
 
 gers as the apostle taught, lib. xiii. 2, was stirred up in 
 zeal to answer liis accusers, and plead a good conscience 
 toward God and man, as being known to be an honest 
 man fearing God, &,c. which he testifying in a good 
 life, with zeal and courage, gave a check and put some 
 stop to his accuser at that time, from proceeding in his 
 accusations against the innocent prisoners. But it was 
 no strange thing in those days, for a sort of ill natured 
 persecuting justices, to be both accusers and judges 
 upon the bench, against our Friends; and also, like in- 
 vidious informers, to endeavour to incense the judges 
 against us, by unjust insinuations and undue accusa- 
 tions; with intent to stir up prejudice and hard usage 
 against us, and often to prejudge us and our case, before 
 judicially heard and tried. 
 
 "Although in the time of the said assizes at Thet- 
 ford, the persecuting spirit was eagerly at work in our 
 adversaries, I daily felt the Lord's power over all; where- 
 by I and my fellow- prisoners were supported, strength- 
 ened, and preserved in innocency and great peace, to 
 the praise of our most gracious God. And although I 
 could expect no other, but our persecutors would be 
 suffered to strengthen and prolong our bonds, at least 
 against some of us, whom they designed to make ter- 
 rifying examples; yet I was not at all discouraged, nor 
 dejected in spirit, under that persecution ; but return- 
 ed cheerfully to prison, to Norwich castle, and was bet- 
 ter every way as to my health and strength, than when 
 1 came out from thence, to go to the assizes at Thet- 
 ford. 
 
 " This was and is to me a memorable token of the 
 merciful Providence of God ; that although I had been 
 very weak and sick in prison in the said castle but a 
 few days before, and rode to Thetford assizes in a weak 
 condition ; yet while 1 was attending upon the assizes, 
 I was so much recovered in my health, that my ague 
 and fever were quite removed, and I had not the re- 
 turn of one fit all the time of that imprisonment ; but
 
 ©. WHITEHEAD. 157 
 
 was restored to perfect health, which continued for 
 several years after. 
 
 '* Six of us, to whom the oath was tendered, and that 
 were indicted, were, with some others, remanded priso- 
 ners to the said castle, and continued prisoners about 
 sixteen weeks. The rest were released ; being mostly 
 labouring men, farmers, and tradesmen ; our persecu- 
 tors having picked out such whom they sent back to 
 prison, as they esteemed to be the most eminent among 
 the Quakers ; as the said John Lawrence, Joseph 
 Lawrence, William Barber, Henry Kettle, sen. and 
 jun., John Hubbard, and several others, because of their 
 love and kindness to their Friends, and entertaining 
 meetings at their houses. 
 
 " Our release was obtained by the king's proclama- 
 tion of grace, as it was termed ; wherein, notwithstan- 
 ding his grace or favour thereby expressed towards the 
 Quakers, &,c. it was not without a menace or threat, 
 i. e. not intending their impunity if they should oflTend in 
 the future, in like manner as they had done, &c. which 
 was chiefly by their religious meetings, intended only 
 for the worship of the living God, according to their 
 consciences and persuasions; and for this cause our 
 impunity was not intended, as afterward in a short 
 time it more fully appeared. 
 
 " One thing, by the way, 1 may not omit some ac- 
 count of. When we were together in Thetford prison, 
 in order to appear at the assizes, I met with Henry 
 Kettle the elder, a prisoner there ; who was an ancient 
 man, and had been mayor of the town and a justice of 
 peace, before he was in communion with us. And after 
 he had received our Friends and had meetings at his 
 house, having a love to Truth and us, he was commit- 
 ted to prison ; where he and I walking together in the 
 prison yard, he opened his condition and exercise to me 
 how he vvas beset with relations, and pressed to take 
 the oath of allegiance ; otherwise they feared he and 
 his family would be ruined : whereupon the trial came 
 the harder on him, considering his own weakness. 
 
 VOL. I. o
 
 158 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 However, he tenderly told me, he had considered 
 Christ's words : * No man having put his hand to the 
 plough and looking back, is tit for the kingdom of God ;' 
 concluding thcreiore, he must not look back or decline 
 from the Truth. 
 
 •'I was very glad to hear him voluntarily give such 
 a tender account, both of his trial and good resolution ; 
 having well understood his weakness, and how consi- 
 derable a time he had been wavering and halting in 
 his mind; and how hard it was for him, being a per- 
 son of great note, to give up to the cross of Christ, so as 
 to endure reproach and persecution for Christ Jesus 
 and his Truth. Yet now when he was given up and re- 
 signed to sutler for Christ, he was assisted, and strength- 
 ened rather to suffer with the rest of us, than to lose 
 his inward peace, by declining Truth's testimony. He 
 was, contrary to law, removed from 'J hetford, the cor- 
 poration where his residence and dwelling was, to the 
 county gaol in Noiwich castle ; where his son Henry 
 was detained prisoner, with the rest of us who had been 
 and were then prisoners. 
 
 " At the ensuing quarter-sessions held at Norwich, 
 the said Henry Kettle the elder was called into the 
 court of sessions; where, to ensnaie him, he was re- 
 quired to take the oath of allegiance, with endeavours 
 to impose it upon him. Eut he stood firm and would 
 not be imposed on ; telling the justices, that he was re- 
 moved out of his own res|)cctive corporation to which 
 he belonged, contrary to law; and therefore was un- 
 duly brought before them in that court. It was a 
 breach of his and the corporation's privilege, to remove 
 him thence to that quarter-sessions, to he prosecuted 
 or tried, and expressly contrary to Magna Charta ; 
 whereby the liberties and privileges of corporations are 
 to be upheld and maintained, and not violated. 
 
 " I and another fellow-jjrisoner being then on the 
 castle hill, heard him plead after this manner and hold 
 them closely to the point. But instead of answering 
 him legally, or vindicating their proceeding by law,
 
 G. WHITEUEAU. 159 
 
 they still obtruded and imposed upon him, saying: ' It 
 is no miittcr, it is no matter how you came liere ; tiiat 
 is not our business to enquire after: but now you are 
 here, we have power to tender you the oath. Mr 
 Kettle, will you take the oath of allegiance, aye or no?' 
 
 "lie answered: ' Let me be returned back to my 
 own corporation, the town of Thetford, and there I may 
 answer.' But otherwise he esteemed himself not bound 
 to answer in that court of sessions, held for the county 
 of Norfolk. 
 
 " This account is the substance of the procedure 
 against Henry Kettle, at that time; and when the jus- 
 tices could not by persuasion or menaces, prevail with 
 him to swear or take the said oath, they returned him 
 to the castle gaol, to remain prisoner with the rest of 
 us. 
 
 " His prosecutors were not suffered to bring him un- 
 der the judgment and penalty of a premunire, any more 
 than the rest of us, who were prosecuted in order there- 
 to; but all discharged by the proclamation aforesaid. 
 
 " It was but for a short time after we were set at 
 liberty, that we could enjoy our religious meetings 
 quietly; the irreligious, persecuting spirit being at work 
 in the nation among priesis and magistrates, who would 
 have all compelled to go to church and conform, for all 
 to be of one religion;* when there was but little of the 
 life, substance, or purity of religion designed in the 
 case ; but rather empty form, ceremony, and an out- 
 wart' show and pretence, to palliate covctousness, pride, 
 manifold corruptions, and fleshly liberty, then abound- 
 ing and more and more manifest. The libertines of 
 those days boastingly telling us: you must all go to 
 church, or else you must lose your estates; or you niust 
 be hanged, or banished, &.c. With many such threats 
 and cruel mockings ; yet still it was a stay to us, and 
 sure ground of faith and hope, that we knew Him in 
 
 * The idol of UDiformitj has been the Molock of the Christian 
 Church.
 
 160 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 whom we livingly believed and hoped for salvation and 
 strength. 
 
 " So hasty and precipitant was the persecuting spi- 
 rit, and eager to be at work, and that too under some 
 colour or pretence of law, that in the first Parliament 
 chosen after the king's restoration, they soon contrived 
 a bill for suppressing our meetings ; and divers of the 
 persons chosen to be members of that Parliament being 
 persecutors, that party swayed and carried it by vote ; 
 insomuch that the bill was committed, and at last pass- 
 ed into an act, entitled, 
 
 " An act for preventing mischiefs and dangers that 
 may arise by certain persons called Quakers, and others 
 refusing to take lawful oaths.* 
 
 * The substance of the act was as follows ; " Whereas of late 
 times, certain persons under the names of Quakers, and other 
 names of separation, have taken up and maintained sundry danger- 
 ous opinions and tenets, and among otliers that the taking of an 
 oath in any case whatsoever, although before a lawful magistrate, 
 is altogether unlawful, and contrary to the word of God : and the 
 said persons do daily refuse to take an oath, though lawfully ten- 
 dered, whereby it often happens that truth is wholly suppressed, 
 and the administration of justice much obstructed. 
 
 " And whereas the said persons, under a pretence of religious 
 worship, do often assemble themselves in great numbers, in several 
 parts of this realm, to the great endangering of the public peace 
 and safety, and to the terror of the people, by maintaining a secret 
 and strict correspondence among themselves, and in the mean time 
 separating and dividing themselves from the rest of his majesty's 
 good and loyal subjects, and from the public congregations and 
 usual places of Divine Worship. It is enacted, 
 
 " That if five or more Quakers, of sixteen years of age, or up- 
 ward, assemble under pretence of joining in religious worship, not 
 authorised by law ; 
 
 " The party offending, being convicted by verdict, confession, or 
 by the notorious evidence of the fact, shall forfeit for the first offence, 
 the sum imposed, not exceeding five pounds : and for the second, 
 the sum imposed, not exceeding ten pounds, to be levied by distress, 
 and sale of the goods : and for want thereof, or non-payment with- 
 in a week after conviction, shall be committed to the gaol, or house 
 of correction ; for the first offence, three months ; for the second, 
 six months, to be kept at hard labour : and if after two convictions, 
 they offend the third time, and are convicted, they shall abjure the 
 realm, or the king may order them to be transported in any ship, 
 to any of his plantations."
 
 G. WHITEHBAD. 161 
 
 "This act was levelled against the people called 
 Quakers, when nothing was justly chargeable against 
 them, but what concerned religion and worship toward 
 Alnnighty God, according to their conscientious persua- 
 sions ; therefore it was purely for serving and wor- 
 shipping Him according to our consciences, that we did 
 sutier greatly by the said act for a time. 
 
 " iSome of us, viz. Edward Burrough, Richard Hub- 
 berthorn, and myself, having notice and understanding 
 the matter contained therein ; when it was formed into 
 a bill, attended the Parliament and solicited against 
 the same, that it might not be passed into an act ; dis- 
 coursing many of the members, and showing them how 
 unreasonable and injurious it would be, to pass such an 
 act against us an innocent people : our religious as- 
 semblies being peaceable, and only intended for the 
 worship of Almighty God, according to our consciences ; 
 and in no wise tending to the terror of the public, in 
 appearance or action. 
 
 " When the said bill was committed, we did at sun 
 dry times attend the committee, on the 10th and 13th 
 days of the 5th month, 1661 ; and each of us were per- 
 mitted to appear, and our reasons to be heard before 
 the same, concerning the bill, why it should not pass 
 against us. 
 
 " What 1 declared to the committee, I kept this ac- 
 coimt of, viz. the first time I signified, ' that our meet- 
 ings are for the worship of God, which really is a matter 
 of conscience, and of great weight to us; and that 
 which in tenderness of conscience to Christ's command 
 we practise, for no other end but singly for the wor- 
 ship and service of God, according to the example and 
 practice of primitive saints and Christians ; and that we 
 behaved ourselves peaceably towards all men : therefore 
 therein we ought to have the liberty of our consciences, 
 according to the king's promises of liberty to tender 
 consciences in matters of religion, Slc. 
 
 "* And that if we suffer for our peaceable, harmless 
 meetings, we suiTer for the cause of God, and shall com- 
 
 o 2
 
 162 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 mit our cause to Him, and know that He will plead 
 and avenge it against our persecutors;' or to the same 
 effect, exhorting them to act in the fear of God; with 
 other words of concernment to them. 
 
 " The second time we were before the said committee, 
 I told them as concerning our meetings, against which 
 their intended law chiefly was, that we met together 
 in the Name and fear of the Lord God, and in obedience 
 to Him as the saints of old did; so that they might as 
 well go about to make a law, that we should not pray 
 in the name of Christ Jesus, as to make one to hinder 
 or suppress our meetings, which are in his name ; and 
 from which we may no more refrain, than Daniel could 
 forbear praying to the true God, though it was contrary 
 to king j)arius's decree. 
 
 "One called Sir John Goodrick, being one of the 
 committee, stood up and most busily inveighed against 
 us; accusing our meetings, calling them unlawful, tend- 
 ing to seduce people from the church, and to seduce 
 such as are orthodox, and the like. 
 
 "To which I answered : ' That if our meetings be- 
 contrary to law, then that implies there is some law 
 which they are contrary to; and if so, it seems super- 
 fluous and needless for you to go about to make an- 
 other; but no such thing, we hope, can be proved 
 against us, as that our meetings are unlawful in 
 themselves ; being in obedience to the Lord our God, 
 only for his worship, and agreeable to the practice of 
 the primitive Christians, recorded in the Scriptures of 
 Truth ; such meetings are not unlawful, and such are 
 ours as we can prove. 
 
 " And if your intended law come to be put in execu- 
 tion against us, it may produce sad sulferings upon 
 thousands of innocent people in the nation, and endan- 
 ger the ruin of many families; and the loss of some 
 lives; (and so it did, by persecution and imprison- 
 ments;) and of what a bad report will this be, that an 
 innocent people should thus be oppressed for their con-
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 163 
 
 sciences, when no matter of fact, or crime worthy of 
 suirerintj; can bo proved against tliem. 
 
 " And further, if this intended law be efFected against 
 us, it will elevate and strengthen wicked, malicious, 
 and lawless persons, to take occasion to persecute us 
 beyond the law; as they have lately done, when great 
 numbers of us were imprisoned upon the king's pro- 
 clamation, for meeting together ; some of our Friends 
 were taken out of their beds by rude fellows, and com- 
 mitted to prison ; and some poor men were taken from 
 their callings, and from their poor families whom they 
 were to maintain, and sent to prison; and others taken 
 travelling on the king's highway, about their lawful 
 occasions, and committed to prison, contrary to law 
 and the king's proclamation. Now if you make a law 
 to cause us to sulFer for our peaceable meetings, how 
 much more will rude and lawless persons thereby take 
 encouragement, to act their cruelty and persecution 
 against us, botli beyond and contrary to what the law 
 requires; arid it is not your intended law, that will sa- 
 tisfy that malicious spirit. 
 
 " ' These things 1 leave to your serious considera- 
 tion.' 
 
 " Having not a particular or full account in writing 
 what my friends Edward Burrough and ilichard Hub- 
 berthorn, declared to that committee, I cannot insert 
 the same with mine; but I remember the last time we 
 were before the committee, Edward Burrough told 
 them to this purport: ' That if they made a law against 
 our religious meetings, he should esteem it his duty to 
 exhort our Friends to keep their meetings diligently.' 
 
 " Notwithstanding what is before related, to the 
 said committee against the bill, they went forward 
 being intent upon it, in order to make their report to 
 the whole House; and we being given to understand 
 what day the bill was to be read in the House, were 
 concerned to attend that day; and to endeavour to ob- 
 tain leave to be heard in the House, before it was pass- 
 ed into an act.
 
 164 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 " The day appointed, being the 19th of the 5th 
 month, called July, 1661, Edward Burrough, Richard 
 Hubberthorn, and myself, vvitli Edward Pyott of Bris- 
 tol, who had been a captain, went to the Parliament 
 House, and spake to some of the members, whom we 
 knew were friendly to us, to move for our admittance 
 to be heard in the House, before the bill was passed ; 
 for which we gave them in writing, a proposal to this 
 purpose, viz. : ' That we desired to have the liberty 
 that criminals are allowed ; that is, if they have any 
 thing to say or offer in court, why sentence should not 
 pass against them, they may be heard ; so we desire 
 that we may be heard, what we have to say why the 
 said bill ought not to pass against us.' 
 
 " Whereupon a motion being made in the House, 
 and leave given that we might be called in and heard, 
 accordingly we were forthwith called in before the bar 
 of the House of Commons ; there being a full house, 
 and all in a quiet posture ready to hear what we had 
 to offer. 
 
 " As Edward Burrough began to plead in vindication 
 of the Quakers' meetings, on occasion of the bill before 
 them, against the same, some of the members said to 
 him; 'You must direct your speech to Mr. Speaker.' 
 He told them, he would. The point he chiefly insisted 
 upon was, ' that our meetings were no ways to the ter- 
 ror of the people, as was suggested in the preamble of 
 the bill ; but peaceable, innocent meetings, only for the 
 worship and service of Almighty God, and as we are 
 required by the law of God, placed in our hearts and 
 consciences, which they ought not to make any law 
 against. No human law ought to be made contrary to 
 the law of God; for if they did make any such law, it 
 would not be binding to us to disobey the law of God.' 
 For which he mentioned and quoted that ancient law 
 book, * Doctor and Student,' which he had then in his 
 hand ; where, treating of the law of God, the law of 
 reason, &c. written in the heart of man, it is said ; ' Be- 
 cause it is written in the heart, it may not be put
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 165 
 
 away, neither is it 'ever changeable by diversity of 
 place nor time ; and therefore against this law, pre- 
 scription, statute, or custom may not prevail ; and if 
 any be brought in against it, they be not prescriptions, 
 statutes, nor customs, but things void and against jus- 
 tice.' 
 
 '* Wherefore Edward Burrough told them : ' That if 
 they made such a law against our meetings, which are 
 appointed for the worship of God, it would be contrary 
 to the law of God and void, or ought to be void, ipso 
 facto.' 
 
 " This was the import or substance of what Edward 
 Burrough pleaded to the House at that time. 
 
 " And what Richard Hubberthorn pleaded and ar- 
 gued, was upon this point, viz, : ' It being suggested 
 that we being numerous, and holding a close or strict 
 correspondence among ourselves, our meetings might 
 be the more dangerous, to contrive and cause insurrec- 
 tions, &-C. as is implied in the preamble of the bill.' 
 
 " To which Richard Hubberthorn gave a fair and 
 ingenuous answer : * That there could be no such dan- 
 ger in our meetings, as the contrivance of insurrections 
 or plots against the government ; for our meetings be- 
 ing public, where all sorts of people may resort, and 
 come to hear and see what is said or done, it is not like- 
 ly nor probable, we should plot or contrive insurrec- 
 tions in them, in the sight of the whole world. And if 
 our meetings should be reduced into such small num- 
 bers, as but four or five persons besides those of the 
 family, it could not break our correspondence ; but we 
 should have more opportunity privately to correspond, 
 and to plot and contrive insurrection or mischief, if we 
 were a people of such bad principles, or so evilly prin- 
 cipled, which we are not. Therefore it is most reason- 
 able to sufTer our meetings to be public as they are, 
 and not to punish us on causeless suspicion of danger, 
 when there appears no reason for the same ; nor to 
 make a law to limit them to small numbers.' 
 
 " George Whitehead then said : ' We desire you in
 
 166 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 the fear of the T>ord, to consider lis, as we are, an in- 
 nocent and sutfering people, and have been so under 
 the several governments, since we v^'ere a people; as 
 our patience and innocency towards our persecutors, in 
 all our sufferings, have plainly nnanifested; for both 
 under Oliver Cromwell and since his days, have we 
 endured much hard suffering, persecution, and impri- 
 sonment, for our conscience ; and yet we have not 
 rebelled, nor sought revenge against our persecutors ; 
 but in all our undeserved sufferings, have committed 
 our cause to the Lord. 
 
 " ' And therefore, what an unreasonable thing is it, 
 that a law shodid particularly be made against us, 
 when we have done no evil, nor any injury against any 
 man's person ; nor could any such thing be proved 
 against us, in respect to our meetings, that ever we 
 were found guilty of; so that for you to make a law 
 against us, tending to our ruin, and to go about to tram« 
 pie us underfoot, when we are innocent and peaceable 
 in the nation, and no matter of fact worthy of suffering 
 proved against us ; will neither be to the honour of the 
 king, nor add any thing to your security. 
 
 " * Nay, what a hard thing is it, for you to make a 
 law to add afflictions and sad sufferings upon us, when 
 there are divers laws already, whereby we are liable to 
 suffer, as those for tithes, oaths, and others ; so that to 
 make another law to afHict us, when nothing worthy of 
 suffering is proved, seems to us very hard and unrea- 
 sonable. 
 
 " 'And moreover we have neither forfeited our liber- 
 ties, nor abused the king's indulgence, in any thing 
 acted by us. And the king having promised liberty to 
 tender consciences, on condition they do not disturb the 
 peace of the kingdom, and we not having forfeited our 
 interest therein, therefore ought not to be hindered of 
 our liberty, in matters of worship and conscience to- 
 wards God. We can prove that our practice of assem- 
 bling ourselves together, and our principles also, are 
 grounded upon the righteous law of God, and agree-
 
 G. WHITEUEAD. 167 
 
 able to Christ's doctrine; and we are willing to vindi- 
 cate and demonstrate tlienri, according to 'J'rutli, if we 
 might have liberty here; and that for the satisfaction 
 of such as oppose or scruple them. 
 
 " * In the fear of the Lord consider what you are 
 doing, and seek not farther to add atfliction to us, lest 
 you oppress the innocent. However if we sutler, we 
 shall commit our cause to the Lord our God, who will, 
 no doubt, plead it against our oppressors.' 
 
 " Aftei- lulward Burrough, Richard IJubbcrthorn.and 
 George VViiitehead* had declaied to the House of Com- 
 mons, according as before related; Edward l^yott was 
 also perm tted to speak a few words to them, which he 
 very weightily did on this subject; namelv, reminding 
 them of that golden rule, which Jesus Christ has laid 
 down and requires us all to observe, which is: 'To do 
 to all men as we would be willing they should do unto 
 us;' thereupon cautioning them, that as they would 
 not be persecuted, oppressed or made to sutler for their 
 religion or conscience, or have a law made for that 
 purpose against them : tio more ought they to make a 
 law against us, to punish us for worshi|)ping God ac- 
 cording to our consciences or inward pei'suasions. This 
 matter Edward Pyott pressingly urged to them. 
 
 "We appeared and declared what was upon our 
 minds, in great simplicity and sincerity ; and the i^ord's 
 power and presence Wi's with us, and helped us in our 
 endeavours; and I saw clearly, that what we declared 
 innocently to them, had some etfect upon and reached 
 the consciences of divers of the members, who appeared 
 serious and also sol)er in their carriage toward us. For 
 I afterward had intimation, that some of the n^embers 
 did confess, that what we had declared was very rea- 
 sonable; and if they had feared God or regarded his 
 counsel, and suH'ered Him to rule among them, they 
 would not have made that act against us. 
 
 * Geo. Wliilehcad was at this time about twenty four years of 
 age.
 
 168 MEMOIKS OF 
 
 " But we had only a very few in that Parliament, 
 who appeared openly to be our friends ; or friends for 
 liberty to tender consciences in those days ; namely, 
 Edmund Waller, sen. esq. who was termed, Wit Wal- 
 ler ; he was principled against persecution, and for 
 liberty of conscience, and always kind to us ; and one 
 Michael Mallett, esq. who afterward was convinced of 
 the Truth ; and frequented our meetings even in suf- 
 fering times, when our meetings were kept out of doors 
 in the streets, in Westminster and London. And Sir 
 John Vaughan, then a young man, appeared also for us ; 
 and afterward was convinced of the Truth, and went 
 to our meetings when we were persecuted upon the 
 conventicle act, and was imprisoned in Newgate with 
 our Friends, for a little time, being taken at a meeting 
 at Mile-end. He continued afterward among our 
 Friends, and visited us in prison ; and though at length 
 some of his relations drew him aside, to his great pre- 
 judice, yet he retained a kindness even when he came 
 to be Earl of Carbery ; and continued friendly to us, 
 when he was an old man and until his latter end ; not 
 wholly forgetting what conviction and knowledge of 
 the Truth he received when among us. 
 
 " There were also some few more of the members of 
 that Parliament friendly towards us at that time, when 
 we appeared before them. Howbeit the majority be- 
 ing resolved and bent to persecution, they passed the 
 said bill into an act: upon which great persecution 
 and imprisonments followed.* 
 
 * Neal, in his history of the Puritans, speaking of this circum- 
 stance says : " Among others who were obnoxious to the ministry 
 were Quakers, who having declared openly the unlawfulness of 
 making use of carnal weapons even in self defence, had the courage 
 to petition the house of lords for a toleration of their religion, and 
 for a dispensation from taking the oaths which they held unlawful, 
 not from any disatfcction to the government, or a belief that they 
 were less obliged by an affirmation, but from a persuasion that all 
 oaths were unlawful ; and that swearing upon the most solemn 
 occasions was forbidden in the New Testament. The lords in a
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 169 
 
 committee rejected their petition, and instead of granting them re- 
 lief, passed an act, which had a dreadful influence upon that people, 
 though it was notorious they were far from sedition or disaffection 
 to the government." After mentioning the suffering state of the 
 Quakers at this time, he truly adds : " But this was but the begin- 
 ning of sorrows." Vol. ii. p. 511 and 512. 
 
 VOL. 1.
 
 ( 170 ) 
 
 SECTION IX. 
 
 George Whitehead's own account of persecutions in London in 
 1662 to 1664 — An act to prevent and suppress seditious conven- 
 ticles — Persecution in London 1665 — He visits the northern 
 counties, &c. and returns to London — Remains there during the 
 plague. 
 
 * " In the year 1662, our meetings in and about 
 London were broken up by force and violence, by the 
 
 * We cannot have too strongly impressed upon our minds, the 
 eacrifices made by our early friends for those principles and prac- 
 tices which we now profess and pursue in peace and credit. I shall 
 therefore insert here a few more particulars wliich Goorge White- 
 head does not furnish, from the faithful annalist of the Society, 
 Sewel : "A little before this time there was published in print, a 
 short relation of the persecution throughout all England, signed 
 by twelve persons, showing that more than four thousand two hun- 
 dred of those called Qjakers, both men and women, were in pri- 
 son in England; and denoting the number of them that were im- 
 prisoned in each county, either for Ircquenting meetings, or for de- 
 nying to swear, &c. Many of these had been grievously beaten, or 
 their clothes torn or taken away from them; and some were put 
 into such stinking dungeons, that some great men said, they 
 would not have put their hunting dogs there. ^ ome prisons were 
 crowded full both of men and women, so that there was not suf- 
 ficient room for all to sit down at once; and in Cheshire, sixty- 
 eight persons were in this manner locked up in a small room ; an 
 evident sign that they were a harmless people, that would nei- 
 ther make any resistance, nor use any lorce. 
 
 " By such ill treatment many grew sick ; and not a few died in 
 such gaols ; for no age or sex was regarded ; but even ancient peo- 
 ple of sixty, seventy, and more years of age, were not spared : and 
 the most of these being tradesmen, shop-keepers, and husband- 
 men, were thus reduced to poverty; for their goods were alsoseiz- 
 for not going to church, or for not paying tithes. 
 
 " Many times they were fain to be in prison, on cold, nasty ground, 
 without being suffered to have any straw, and often they have 
 been kept several days without victuals : no wonder therefore, that 
 many died by such hard iini)risonrnent8 as these. 
 
 " In London, and in the suburbs, were, about this time, no less 
 than five hundred of those railed Quakers imprisoned ; and some 
 in Buch narrow holes, that every person scarcely had convenience
 
 MEMOIRH, d:;c. 171 
 
 trained bands and ofticers; especially on the First 
 days of the week; which thouf^h professed to be 
 their Christian Sabbaths, no holiness was observed, 
 but rending and tearing innocent people out of their 
 religious assennblies, and haling them to prison : such 
 furious work of persecution they commonly wrought on 
 that day they pretend to be their Christian Sabbath, 
 and the Lord's day, and to be kept holy, &.c. as Israel 
 was required to observe and keep the Seventh-day 
 for the Sabbath, according to the fourth commandment. 
 Yet these our persecutors made no conscience of viola- 
 ting and profaning their professed Sabbath; by such 
 their works of violence and persecution, yea, even after 
 an act of Parliament was made, for the better observa- 
 tion of the Lord's day. Those self-condemned pretended 
 Christians, in many places furiously went on in their 
 persecution and cruelty, against their fellow-creatures 
 and honest neighbours, without regard to God, or reli- 
 gious worship, or any day ; to the great reproach and 
 scandal of the profession of Christianity. 
 
 to lie down ; and the felons were suffered to rob them of their 
 elothes and money. 
 
 " Many that were not imprisoned, nevertheless suffered hard- 
 ships in their religious meetings, especially that in London, known 
 by the name of Bull and Mouth. Hero the trained band came fre- 
 quently, armed generally with muskets, pikes, and halbards, and 
 conducted by a military officer, by order of the cily magistracy; 
 and rushing in, in a very furious manner, fell to beating them, 
 whereby many were grievously wounded, fell down in a swoon, 
 and some were beaten so violently, that they lived not long after 
 it:'— Seicel 2 vol. Ilk Book, p. \ and 2- 
 
 Nor, in these disastrous days were the persecuted Quakers se- 
 cure in their private dwellings, " for when some persons were seen 
 to enter a house though it was only to visit tlieir friends it was 
 called a meeting. It happened in one house, that these rude fel- 
 lows, (musketeers,) found five persons together one of whom was 
 William Ames, who was come thither out of Holland; and ano- 
 ther was Samuel Fisher, and when it was demanded what war- 
 rant they had, they held up their swords, and said: ' Do not ask 
 us for a warrant ; this is our warrant ;' and thereupon they took 
 these persons to Paul's yard, where they were a laughing stock to 
 the soldiers, and thence to alderman Brown, who sent them to 
 Bridewell to be kept to hard labour." p. 10.
 
 172 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 " Pursuant to the aforesaid act, as was pretended, 
 my beloved brethren Richard Hubberthorn, and Ed- 
 ward Burrough, with myself, and many more of our 
 faithful Friends, were haled out of meetings, and im- 
 prisoned in Newgate, London ; where so many of us 
 were crowded together both in that called justice hall 
 side, and in the chapel side of the prison, that we were 
 hard put to it for lodging room. 
 
 " The chapel was on the top of Newgate, where ma- 
 ny Friends lay in hammocks crowded ; and Richard 
 Hubberthorn and I lay on a small pallet bed, in a lit- 
 tle hole or closet behind the chapel and opening into 
 it so as the breath and steam of those that lay next us 
 in the chapel, came much upon us. We chose to lodge 
 on the chapel side, for the encouragement of many of 
 the poorer sort of Friends, who were there, and that 
 they might not be offended or troubled, as we thought 
 they might, if we had taken up our lodging among the 
 richer sort of our friends, on justice hall side. We had ma- 
 ny good meetings in the chapel ; and the Lord was with 
 us to our great comfort and encouragement, in his name 
 and Power, for whose sake we suffered patiently. 
 
 " It being in summer time and a hot season, when 
 we were thus crowded in prison, some of our friends 
 fell sick of a violent fever, whereof some died; and 
 were viewed by the coroner's inquest : and when some 
 were removed out of prison by reason of sickness, they 
 quickly ended their days, after their close confinement. 
 
 " In those days of hot persecution. Sir Richard 
 Brown * was chief persecutor in London and gloried 
 
 * "In the time of Cromwell," says Sewel, " Brown had been a 
 major general in the army, and was very fierce against the Royal- 
 ists at Abingdon not far from Oxford ; and for this error he endea- 
 Toured to make compensation, by violently persecuting the harm- 
 less Quakers. He was a comely man, and could commit cruelty 
 with a smiling countenance." His personal cruelty to the priso- 
 ners who were brought before him, surpasses the ordinary actings 
 even of those days. The following may servo as a speciraeu 
 of his frequent conduct.
 
 O. WHITEHEAD. 
 
 173 
 
 much in his persecuting and imprisoning our Friends ; 
 insulting over them. One time when several of us 
 were called into the court of sessions in the Old Bailey, 
 one Friend was moved to testify against their persecu- 
 ting and oppressing the righteous seed and people of 
 God, calling out unto the magistrates on the bench : 
 * How long will ye oppress the righteous seed,' &.c. 
 with other words, on the same subject. While he was 
 so speaking, the said Sir Richard Brown in derision, 
 
 "Some soldiers came to a meeting in Tower street, and without 
 anj warrant took away twenty-one persons called Quakers, and 
 carried them to the exchange ; where tliey kept them some time, 
 and then brouirlit them before Richard Brown, wlio, in a most fu- 
 rious manner, struck some, and kicked others; which made one of 
 the prisoners, seeing how Brown smote one with his fist, and kick- 
 ed him on the shin, say : ' What, Richard, wilt thou turn murder- 
 er ! Thou didst not do so when I was a soldier under thy command 
 at Abingdon ; when thou commandedst me and others to search 
 people's houses for pies and roast meat, because they kept Christ- 
 mas as a holy time, and we brought the persons prisoners to the 
 guard for observing the same.' One of Brown's family hearing 
 what was said to him, replied : 'There is an Abingdon bird ;' to 
 which Brown replied : ' He is a rogue for all that ;' and struck 
 him with his fist under the chin ; which made another prisoner 
 say: ' What, a magistrate and strike?' upon which Brown, with 
 both his liands pulled him down to the ground, and then com- 
 manded the soldiers to carry them to Newgate." 
 
 When he did not thus use his own hands, he very frequently 
 ordered the officers ofthe court to abuse the prisoners; so that the 
 spectators have called out 'murder 1' One John Brain being taken 
 in the street, and not in any meeting, was brought by some soldiers 
 before Brown, who seeing him with his hat on, ordered him to be 
 pulled down to the ground six or seven times ; and when he was 
 down they beat his liead against the ground and stamped upon 
 liim ; and Brown, like a madman bade them pull off his nose ; 
 whereupon they violently pulled him by the nose. And when he 
 was got up, they pulled him to the ground by the hair of his head ; 
 and then by the hair pulled him up again. And when he would 
 have spoken in his own behalf against this cruelty. Brown bade 
 them stop his mouth ; whereupon they not only struck him on the 
 mouth, but stopped iiis mouth and nose, so close that lie could not 
 draw breath ; and was liked to be choaked : at whicli Brown fell a 
 laughing, and at length sent him to gaol." 
 
 Notwithstanding the notorious conduct of this wicked magis- 
 trate, he was a favourite at court, and was knighted ! 
 
 2 p
 
 174 MBMOIKS OP 
 
 began to sing like the women that cry kitchen stuff 
 and Wall-Fleet oysters up and down the streets of 
 London : ' IJa you any kitchen sluff', maids ? Ha you any 
 kitchen stuff", maids ? Hey, Wall-Fleet oysters ; will you 
 buy any Wall-Fleet oysters ? Will you buy any Wall- 
 Fleet oysters ? S^rc. 
 
 " Many of us were connmitted for three months impri- 
 sonment in Newgate, being our first commitment upon 
 the aforesaid act ; and before the time of that injprison- 
 ment was expired, my dear friend and brother Richard 
 Hubberthorn was taken sick and died ; and also our 
 dear brother Edward Burrough, who was detained pri- 
 soner after I was released, was also taken sick of a fe- 
 ver, and died ; so the Lord pleased by death to release 
 both these my dear brethren, companions, and fellow 
 labourers in the Gospel of Christ Jesus ; whose deaths 
 were lamented by many tender Friends, respecting the 
 great service which they had done in their day. 
 
 " And though I had a full share in suffering with my 
 friends and brethren, in those days of hot persecution ; 
 and was carried through such imprisonments and suf- 
 ferings as ended the days of several, yet my days have 
 been lengthened much beyond my expectation ; inso- 
 much that 1 have been ready humbly to enquire, 
 ' Lord, for what end am I so long spared alive, and my 
 days prolonged, when so many of thy faithful servants 
 are removed ?' Whereupon he has showed me, that 
 my trials and service in his Church and for his people, 
 were not yet finished ; and he has often made me sen- 
 sible of his merciful providence, in my preservation 
 through many trials and exercises; being supported 
 by the word of faith, and of his patience, in the king- 
 dom and patience of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus 
 Christ ; to whom be glory and dominion for ever and 
 ever. O! my soul, praise thou the Lord, my Life, my 
 Strength, and my Salvation ; and let all that is within 
 me bless his Holy Name! 
 
 " In those days of hot persecution, it was observable 
 how furious some of the judges were against our 
 Friends, when brought prisoners into court, and they
 
 O. WHITEHEAD. 175 
 
 wanted evidence of matter of fact against thenti upon 
 trial ; and some of our Friends not answering interro- 
 gatories to accuse themselves, but asking for their ac- 
 cusers. Some of the judges would use the words ; 
 •Sirrah! sirrah! you are an impudent fellow; leave 
 your canting,' &-C. threatening them with severe me- 
 naces, and frowning on, or brow-beating them ; much 
 unbecoming a justice or judge, who ought to be indifTe- 
 rent, and impartial, to do equal justice and right, with- 
 out premeditation or partiality against any person. 
 
 "The said act against Quakers, to fine, imprison, 
 and transport them out of the land for not swearing, or 
 for their religious meetings, did not satisfy those rigid 
 persecutors, when they had made trial thereof; the 
 process thereupon, to three months and six months im- 
 prisonment, &,c. before it came to transportation or ba- 
 nishment, was too slow and dilatory a procedure to an- 
 swer their invidious designs. They could not thereby 
 so expeditiously rid the land of us as they would; and" 
 therefore, in a short time, they procured another en- 
 gine to shorten their work against us, to wit, another 
 act, entitled, ' JJn act to prevent and suppress seditious 
 conventicles,'' 16 Car. 2 cap. 4. Of which act, and the 
 administration thereof, some account may be given 
 hereafter." 
 
 George Whitehead next gives a relation of his im- 
 prisonment with divers other Friends, in the White 
 Lion prison in Southwark, for assembling together in 
 the worship and service of Almighty God, and of their 
 usage and treatment in prison ; which, as he observes, 
 shows the manner in which Friends were treated in 
 those days, for innocent religious meetings.* 
 
 * Tlie treatment of Friends in those days — their zeal in the sup- 
 port of what they behcved to be right, and their constancy in suf- 
 fering for the testimony of a good conscience, are so strikingly set 
 forth in the following extract from Sewel, that I venture to intro- 
 duce it, lliough the work may be easy of reference to mosi readers, 
 tt adds another to the many examples proving the impolicy of
 
 176 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 " Upon the 3rd day of the 5th month, 1664, being 
 the first day of the week, our Friends were peaceably 
 met together at their usual meeting place at Horsly- 
 down ; according to their wonted manner, waiting upon 
 
 persecution, and that the Church when in spiritual health, flourish- 
 es under the fiercest trials. 
 
 " Oftentimes," says this faithful annalist, " they were kept out 
 of their meeting houses by the soldiers ; but then they did not use 
 to go away, but stood before the place ; and so their number soon 
 increased; and then some one or other of their ministers generally 
 stept on a bench, or some high place, and so preached boldly. 
 Thus he got more hearers than he otherwise would have had. But 
 such an one sometimes was soon pulled down, which then gave 
 occasion for another to stand up and speak; and thus four or five, 
 one after another, were taken away as innocent sheep, and carried 
 to prison with other of their Friends, it may be forty or fifty at once. 
 
 " Tile keeping of meetings in the streets became now a custom- 
 ary thing in Kngland ; for the Quakers, so called, were persuaded 
 that the exercise of their public worship, was a duty no man could 
 discharge them from ; and they believed that God required the 
 performing of this service from their hands. And by thus meeting 
 in the streets, it happened sometimes that more than one, nay. it 
 may be three or four at a time, did preach one in one place, and 
 another in another; which in their meeting places could not have 
 been conveniently done. Thus they got abundance of auditors, 
 and among those sometimes eminent men, who passing by in their 
 coaches, made their coachmen slop. 
 
 " [n this state they found a great harvest, and thus their Church 
 increased under suffering ; and in those sharp times they were 
 pretty well purified of dross ; since the trial was too hot for such 
 as were not sincere ; for by frefjuenling their meetings in such a 
 time, one was in danger of being either imprisoned, or beaten 
 lame, or unto death ; but this could not quench the zeal of the up- 
 right. 
 
 " Now the taking away of one preacher, and the standing up 
 of another, became an ordinary tiling in England; and it lasted 
 yet long after, as I myself have been an eye witness of there. And 
 when there were no more men preachers present, it may be a wo- 
 man would rise, and minister to the meeting ; nay, there were such, 
 who in 3'ears being little more than boys, were endued with a man- 
 ly zeal, and encouraged their friends to steadfastness."/?. 5. 
 
 " Nor did the soldiers respect age, (as specified by the law,) but 
 took out of a meeting at Mile-end two boys, one about thirteen and 
 the other about sixteen, and they were brought before the lieute- 
 nant of the tower, who to one present, saying, he supposed they 
 were not of the age of sixteen, and therefore not punishable by the 
 act, replied ; ' Tliey were old enough to be whipt, and they should
 
 G. WHITEHBAD. 177 
 
 the Lord in his fear. And after some time, George 
 "Whitehead spake to the assembly by way of exhorta- 
 tion, to truth and righteousness. In the interim, a com- 
 pany of soldiers with muskets and lighted matches in 
 their hands, rushed in ; and before they came into the 
 inner door, one of them fired a musket : and two of them 
 violently pulled George Whitehead down, and haled 
 him and some others out of the meeting, and carried 
 themselves very rudely ; pushing and threatening our 
 Friends, forcing many out of the meeting, and raging 
 at and pushing women when they came near their hus- 
 bands, whom they had taken into custody. And George 
 Whitehead asking them to show their warrant for what 
 they did, a soldier held up his musket over his head 
 and said, that was his warrant. 
 
 " Then both men and women whose names were in 
 the mittimus with several more, some whereof they took 
 near the meeting-house door and others in the street, 
 were had to the main guard on Margaret's Hill ; where 
 they kept them for some time, until those called justices 
 came ; wlio asked our Friends, whether they were at 
 the meeting aforesaid ; to which answer was made, 
 that they desired to hear what evidence came against 
 them ; for some were taken in the street, and not at all 
 in the meeting. But they put it upon George White- 
 head to confess, if he was not present at the meeting? 
 To which he answered, what evidence have you against 
 me, and 1 shall answer further? Whereupon some of 
 the soldiers were called to give evidence concerning 
 
 be vvhipl out of their religion.' And so he sent them to Bridewell, 
 where tlieir hands were put into the stocks, and so pinched for the 
 space of two hours, that their wrists were much swollen. This 
 was done hecause they refused to work, as being persuaded they 
 had not deserved to be treated so ; tlioy also eat nothing at the 
 expense of the house. 
 
 " These lads though pretty long in that prison, yet continued 
 steadfast, rejoicing they were counted worthy to suffer for the 
 Name of the Lord ; and they wrote a letter to their Friends' 
 children, exhorting them to be faitiiful in bearing their testimo- 
 ny for the Lord, against all wickedness and unrighteousness." 
 p. 8.
 
 178 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 him, and the rest with him : they witnessed, that he 
 was taken in the meetin^^-house, speaking to the peo- 
 ple ; wliich was all the evidence that was given against 
 him. 
 
 " George Whitehead excepted against the soldiers, 
 as being incompetent witnesses; for they came, said he, 
 in a rude and inhuman manner, with force and arms; 
 and so apprehended us illegally, without any justice 
 present or warrant for what they did; but one holding 
 up his musket, said that was his warrant, when they 
 took us. So that they came in a terrifying manner 
 among a peaceable people, which was both contrary 
 to the late act and contrary to the king's Proclama- 
 tion ; which prohibits the seizing of subjects by soldiers, 
 unless in time of actual insurrection. And by the said 
 act, the deputy lieutenants and militia officers and 
 forces, are not required to be assisting in suppressing 
 meetings, unless upon a certificate under the hand and 
 seal of a justice of peace, that he with his assistants are 
 not able to suppress them. And also it was told them, 
 that no dwelling house of any peer, or other person 
 whatsoever, shall be entered into by virtue of the said 
 act, but in the presence of one justice of peace. 
 
 " Friends also complained against one of the soldiers, 
 for firing his musket near the meeting door, in the en- 
 try, and shooting a bullet through two or three ceilings 
 and a dwelling room ; which bullet was found near a 
 cradle, where a child used to be laid; and one present 
 had the same to show them. 
 
 " George Moor, one of the justices, answered, that 
 it was done accidentally : but how that could be, that 
 it was not intentionally done, does not appear ; seeing 
 the rest of the soldiers held their matches apart from 
 their muskets. Howbeit if accidentally done, consider 
 whether such a man as had no more discretion and 
 government or care, was a fit person or officer, to come 
 in that manner, with a musket charged, among a peace- 
 able, harmless people assembled to worship God ? But 
 George Moor excused their having their muskets laden*
 
 O. WHITEHEAD. 179 
 
 And to George Whitehead's saying, that there was no 
 justice present when they were apprehended ; George 
 Moor answered (hat he was present. George White- 
 head told him, they did not see him there ; and the 
 soldiers being asked, if he were present among them, 
 they said no. But he said he was present, for he was 
 near tlie meeting, or but a little way off. And to George 
 Whitehead's requiring justice against those soldiers that 
 had broken the peace, and his desiring that they would 
 correct or stop such proceedings for the future ; saying, 
 if any hurt be done by the soldiers, it would be required 
 at your hands, &.c. answer was made by some present, 
 that our Friends might take their course and have the 
 henetit of the law, if they would swear the peace against 
 them. 
 
 " As to the charge against George Whitehead, that 
 he was at an unlawful assembly, and there was taken 
 speaking — he answeied, that it must be some unlawful 
 act done by the persons met, that could make the meet- 
 ing unlawful ; and therefore desired to know what un- 
 lawful act they had committed, or were guilty of in 
 their meeting 1 And he told them, that it was neither 
 simply the meeting, nor the number met, whether tive 
 or five hundred, that could reasonably be judged un- 
 lawful, if the act or occasion met about was lawful ; for 
 it is an unlawful act that makes an unlawful meeting. 
 
 "As to the act of Parliament which is named, 'an 
 act to prevent seditious conventicles;' the name should 
 signify its nature and intent, and the preamble the rea- 
 son or cause of it, and that is against such as under pre- 
 tence of tender consciences do contrive insurrections at 
 their meetings. The preambles of laws are esteemed 
 the keys of laws. One of the justices said : He did not 
 know but that our meetings were to that intent. 
 George Whitehead told him, whatsoever he or any 
 other might suspect against them, proves nothing ; sus- 
 picion proves no fact : we are an innocent people fear- 
 ing God. 
 
 " Sonie of the justices upon the evidence, alleged
 
 180 HEHOIRS OF 
 
 that George Whitehead was at the meeting and taken 
 speaking, and the meeting was above the number of 
 five. To which George Whitehead said, that proves 
 nothing of the breach of the law against him, unless 
 they could prove some unlawful act done or met about ; 
 for it is not the number makes the transgression, but 
 the fact if it be unlawful ; and if three be met about 
 an unlawful act, it is an unlawful meeting or a riot. 
 This Friends urged several times, that it must be an 
 unlawful act that must make a meeting unlawful; and 
 thereupon excepted against the evidence as insufficient 
 for conviction, or passing sentence of imprisonment upon 
 them in order to banishment. And it was urged as a 
 matter of weight, which concerned them to consider of. 
 
 " Whereupon George Moor with some others, com- 
 manded the people to depart, and caused the soldiers 
 to disperse them who stood civilly by to hear and see 
 what became of our Friends, that they might not hear 
 their trial, and would have had George Whitehead 
 taken away, &.c. And George Whitehead being seve- 
 ral times accused for speaking in the meeting, he de- 
 sired the justices to ask the witness what he spake in 
 the meeting ? But they would not ask the question, 
 neither could the witnesses answer to it when it was 
 propounded by our Friends ; so that nothing of the 
 breach of the law was proved against them. One 
 Friend told them, we suppose you will not account it 
 a transgression to speak, where nothing can be proved 
 against what is spoken ; unless you would have us dumb 
 and not speak at all. 
 
 " And then as to meeting to the number of five or 
 above, under colour or pretence of religious exercise 
 not allowed by the liturgy, which incurs the penalty of 
 the act, George Whitehead questioned what manner of 
 religious exercise the liturgy did disallow of? and grant- 
 ed that he was at the meeting and there did speak, 
 having a word of exhortation to the people ; but that 
 still they fell short in their proof, either that the meet- 
 ing was seditious or tumultuous, or that the exercise of
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 181 
 
 religion or worship as we practised was disallowed by 
 the liturgy. For, said he, the liturgy allows what the 
 Holy Scriptures allow of; and if I had a word of exhor- 
 tation to speak, according to the gift of God received, 
 this is allowed by the Scriptures, therefore not dis- 
 allowed by the liturgy ; so that you have not proved 
 the transgression of the law against me. To which 
 they gave no answer. The clerk said it was a dilem- 
 ma ; some Friends they let go, because the soldiers 
 could not testify whether they took them in the street 
 or in the meeting. 
 
 " But seeing they resolved to proceed against some 
 of our Friends, George Whitehead told them, that if 
 they had so much moderation in them, they needed not 
 to proceed to the rigour of the law, so as to imprison 
 them for three months; seeing the law allowed any 
 time not exceeding three months, &-c. But if they would 
 imprison them to the utmost, George Whitehead de- 
 manded that they might have sufficient prison room, 
 and not to be stifled and destroyed by many being 
 crowded together, as several were before, in the same 
 prison, &c. ; for if they were it would be required at 
 their hands, and God would plead their cause and call 
 them to account for what they had done against them, 
 &c. 
 
 "After several passages betwixt them, more than 
 are here mentioned, Friends refusing to pay five pounds 
 fine each, they were committed to jail without bail or 
 mainprize. While the justices were committing them, 
 there was exceeding thunder, lightning, and rain ; in- 
 somuch that the water was so high in the street, that 
 the soldiers could not get them to prison, but kept them 
 in the street in the rain, and after had them back to 
 a house until the water was fallen ; and then they were 
 had late lo prison, much wet. 
 
 " The two keepers, viz. Stephen Harris and Joseph 
 Hall, after a little space demanded of each of them 
 three shillings and sixpence a week for lodging, or two 
 shillings apiece for the bare rooms, the best whereof 
 
 VOL. I. Q
 
 182 MESroiRS OF 
 
 overflowed with water. But they could not yield to 
 the gaoler's oppression, nor answer his unreasonable 
 demands, nor pay him down ten shillings which he re- 
 quired for that first night ; but desired to be left to their 
 liberty, and if they received any courtesy or accommo- 
 dation from him, they should consider him as they found 
 cause ; but neither could pay for a prison nor uphold 
 oppression in it. 
 
 " Whereupon Stephen Harris threatened them with 
 the common ward, where the felons lie, and command- 
 ed them to go into it ; which they refused, as a place not 
 fit for true men to be in. Yet the said Harris turned 
 them into the common ward among the said felons ; 
 Friends warned him not to suffer them to be abused, 
 but they made light of it, saying, it is your own faults ; 
 and seemed to encourage the felons against our Friends, 
 
 " Soon after the keepers had turned their backs, the 
 felons demanded half a crown apiece of each of them, 
 swearing what they would do to them ; and because 
 Friends could not answer their unjust demands, they 
 fell upon them, searched their pockets, and took what 
 money they found from several of them. And when 
 they had so done, Stephen Harris the keeper came to 
 the window, and the felons confidently told him what 
 they had done, and how much they had taken, and 
 that they must have more from them ; which he did 
 not at all reprove them for ; and they said, they, hoped 
 he would stand by them in what they did ; only he 
 made them return the cloak they had taken from one 
 Friend, after they had taken his money ; and he laugh- 
 ed when they threatened Friends and swore and cursed 
 them ; the keepers also swore at them, and threatened 
 to make them bow ; whereupon the felons gave a shout, 
 saying : ' God 'a mercy, boys, we will be upon them 
 again,' &-c. 
 
 " Besides these abuses which our Friends met withal 
 from the gaolers and prisoners, the ward was such a 
 nasty stinking hole, and so crowded with those felons, 
 and several women lying among them, which some
 
 G. WUITEHEAD. 
 
 183 
 
 called their wives, that our Friends had not whereon to 
 lay their heads to rest, nor a stool to sit down upon; 
 but when they were weary, were fain to sit down on 
 the floor, among the vermin, in a stinking place : of 
 which gross abuses, complaint being made to some of 
 the justices that committed them, the next night the 
 gaoler was made to let Friends have room to lodge in, 
 apart from the felons. 
 
 " A few days after my commitment to White Lion 
 prison aforesaid, another trial befel me ; I was had out 
 of the prison, before John Lenthal, about the plot in 
 the north of England, 1GG3, being unjustly accused by 
 a Yorkshireman, a sort of an attorney, to have been 
 concerned in that plot, because I was a Westmoreland 
 man born ; and though he could not make out any proof 
 against me, yet he persisted in his own evil jealousy 
 and surmise, that I was such a person, whom he nam- 
 ed, and said was in the plot ; affirming that my name 
 was not Whitehead, but another name. Whereupon 
 I was then carried in a boat to White-hall, guarded 
 with musqueteers, and the gaoler also with us, and 
 there was I had into a room near the secretary's office, 
 where the gaoler waited with me ; the lawyer, who 
 falsely had suggested the crime against me, went in, 
 and after some time a person was sent out to examine 
 me, and my accuser with him ; then was I questioned 
 about my name, the examiner looking in a list of names 
 which he had in his hand ; I gave him a just account 
 of my name and clearness, yet my accuser would con- 
 fidently contradict me, saying, your name is not White- 
 head, but Marshden, or such a like name ; I told him 
 surely I knew my own name, as I had declared it ; 
 presently stept in one who seemed to be an ancient 
 gentleman, hearing my accuser tell me my name was 
 not W^hitehead, and contradicted him ; saying, ' Yes, 
 his name is Whitehead ; he has writ divers books, to 
 which his name is in print ;' which gave a check to 
 him, and prevented further examination. 
 
 " Howbeit this busy false accuser, went in again to
 
 184 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 the secretary's office, and in a little time came out, 
 and warned the gaoler not to discharge me, until he 
 had order from the secretary ; but whether he had or- 
 der so to caution the gaoler, was questionable, for the 
 man appeared very busy against me, without cause, 
 or any previous knowledge of me, or I of him ; but see- 
 ing he was so confident in his unjust prosecution, I ques- 
 tioned in my thoughts, whether he might not be sub- 
 orned to prosecute me, or did it to get himself a name, 
 or some reward for a pretended discovery. However 
 I esteemed it best and safest for me, to trust in the 
 Lord my God for presei'vation, and to be resigned to 
 his will ; and I desired if He suffered me to be prose- 
 cuted and tried for my life, I might have opportunity to 
 vindicate and clear our holy profession and Friends, 
 and my own innocency also, from all such works of dark- 
 ness, as plots and conspiracies against king, or govern- 
 ment ; and this I thought to do, if brought to a place 
 of execution ; nevertheless 1 wrote a letter from prison 
 to Lord Arlington, then secretary of state, to clear my 
 own innocency from those false suggestions and insinua- 
 tions, which were made against me, about the plot be- 
 fore mentioned, which was delivered to him, and 1 
 heard no more of it afterward, but was released out of 
 prison with the rest, when the three months were ex- 
 pired, for which we had been committed. 
 
 " On the 16th day of the 8th month, 16G4, being the 
 first day of the week, our Friends were met together, 
 in the fear of the Lord, according to their usual man- 
 ner, in their meeting place at the Bull and Mouth, near 
 Aldersgate, London ; and George Whitehead being 
 there, declared the Truth in the power and dread of 
 the Lord God. After some time, came a great com- 
 pany of men, with halberts, into the meeting, and a 
 little after they shut the meeting-house door, and kept 
 out many people that would have come in ; howbeit 
 the halbcrteers stood and heard quietly for near ^n 
 hour, as it was thought, only one rude fellow attempted 
 to pull George Whitehead down, but did not. After-
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 185 
 
 ward came the lord mayor, and a company with him, 
 and Richard Brown followed. In a JiUle time after 
 the mayor came in, a rude fellow violently pulled 
 George Whitehead down from speaking, and haled him 
 near the door; the mayor asked him his name, he 
 told him. 
 
 " Richard Brown came somewhat rudely into the 
 meeting, reviling and deriding Friends, whereupon one 
 of them giving testimony for the presence of the Lord 
 in our meeting, after this manner, viz. * The Lord 
 brought us hither ; and the presence of the Lord is 
 among us ; and this is my testimony,' &c. In opposi- 
 tion thereto, the said Richard Brown answered, viz. 
 ' The devil brought you hither ; and the devil is among 
 you ; and this is my testimony ;' laughing and swinging 
 his arms, and threatening some to send them to Bride- 
 well. But Georjie Whitehead exhorted the said Rich- 
 ard Brown and the mayor to moderation and civiHty 
 towards us; Richard Brown answered, if you will be 
 civil to us, we will be civil to you. George White- 
 head desired the mayor to produce the law they had 
 broken, and that they might have a fair trial. Richard 
 Brown answered : ' Yes, you shall have a fair trial at 
 the sessions to-morrow ;' it not being then ended. Then 
 some of the halbertmen had George Whitehead, and 
 some more of his Friends into the street, where after 
 they had kept them some time, they sent them in com- 
 panies to Newgate, without sending warrants with them, 
 being fined one shilling each,* or six days imprison- 
 ment. 
 
 " In such manner both our men and women Friends 
 were frequently imprisoned, and gaols filled with them 
 in those days, and their persecutors were in great heat 
 and haste to get them banished, upon the second act 
 of parliament made for that end. 
 
 " If they could bring them under conviction for a 
 third ofTence, as they termed our meeting to worship 
 
 * The number so committed was 45, viz. 29 men, and 16 women. 
 
 ^ 3
 
 186 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 the living and only true God : which if any one among 
 us did but confess, it was enough to make him or her 
 an olFender, and to be convicted presently thereupon, 
 either for a first, second, or third offence. And the 
 shortness of our imprisonment last related, as well as 
 the smallness of the lines of one shilling a piece, seemed 
 designed to dispatch us the sooner out of the land by 
 banishment, after conviction for three offences pre- 
 tended. 
 
 " Now, it may not be improper to give some account 
 of the contents of the second act of parliament, designed 
 not only for our imprisonment, but also for our banish- 
 ment out of the land of our nativity ; and that with 
 more expedition than could be effected by the first act ; 
 though the Lord our God would not suffer that design 
 of banishment to take any such general effect against 
 us as was desired by our invidious persecutors ; for by 
 his judgments in a great measure he frustrated our 
 adversaries. Howbeit many of our innocent Friends 
 were sentenced for banishment, yet but few, in compa- 
 rison, actually shipped away, or banished out of the 
 land. 
 
 " The preamble and penalties of the said act follow, 
 16 Car. 2. ch. 4. 
 
 " It is styled, an act to prevent and suppress sedi- 
 tious conventicles. In the preamble, the 25th Eliz. ch. 
 1. is declared to be in force: and also for providing of 
 further and more speedy remedy against the growing 
 and dangerous practices of seditious sectaries, and other 
 disloyal persons, who under pretence of tender con- 
 sciences, do at their meetings continue insurrections, as 
 late experience hath showed. Thus far the preamble, 
 and reason given for the act. 
 
 "Thereupon it is enacted, that if any person of the 
 age of 10 years and upwards, being a subject, &c. shall 
 be present at any assembly, conventicle, or meeting, 
 under colour or pretence of any exercise of religion, in 
 other manner than is allowed by the liturgy of the 
 Church of England, every such person being convicted
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 187 
 
 before two justices of the peace, to be committed to 
 the gaol, or house of correction, there to remain with- 
 out bail or mainprize, for any time not exceeding three 
 months; unless such person pay down to the said jus- 
 tices, such sum of money not exceeding five pounds, as 
 they might fine the offender at. 
 
 " And for the second offence, the person convicted 
 incurred the penalty of imprisonment, for any time not 
 exceeding six months, without bail or mainprize ; un- 
 less the person convicted, pay down such sum of money, 
 not exceeding ten pounds, as the justices would fine 
 him. 
 
 " The penalty for the third offence, was imprison- 
 ment without bail or mainprize, until the next general 
 quarter sessions, assizes, gaol-delivery,' &.c. there to be 
 indicted, arraigned, &c. And when convicted, judg- 
 ement to be entered, that such offender should be trans- 
 ported beyond the seas, to any of his majesty's foreign 
 plantations, Virginia and New-England only excepted, 
 there to remain seven years. 
 
 " And the said respective courts were also empow- 
 ered to give out warrants to the several constables, 
 &c. where the estate real or personal of such offender 
 so to be transported, should be ; commanding them to 
 seize into their hands, the profits of the lands, and to 
 distrain and sell the goods of the person to be trans- 
 ported, for the reimbursing the sheriff his charges, for 
 conveying and embarking the person to be transported. 
 *' And it is also provided and enacted, that in case 
 the offender convicted for the third offence, shall pay 
 one hundred pounds in court ; he shall be discharged 
 from imprisonment, transportation, and judgment for 
 the same. 
 
 " And it is further enacted, that the like imprison- 
 ment, judgment, arraignment, and proceedings, shall 
 be against every such offender as often as he shall 
 again offend after such third offence ; nevertheless is 
 dischargable and discharged by payment of the like 
 sum as was payed for his, or her said offence, next be-
 
 188 MKMOIRS OP 
 
 fore committed, together with the additional and in- 
 creased sum of one hundred pounds more upon every 
 new olTence committed. 
 
 " But this severe act was made temporary, only 
 being to continue in force for three years after the end 
 of that session, and to the end of the next session of 
 parliament, after the end of three years and no longer. 
 
 " And indeed it was high time that persecuting cruel 
 law should expire, and die ; for the execution thereof, 
 tended to the great oppression and ruin of many of the 
 king's innocent peaceable subjects and families, espe- 
 cially of the people called Quakers, whom the persecu- 
 tors in that three years' time furiously endeavoured to 
 rid the nation of, by banishment, or to force them to 
 conform to that church whereof those persecutors were 
 members ; who by their many and frequent imprison- 
 ments, in order to banishment, brought no great honour 
 to their church, priesthood, or profession, but made 
 many widows and fatherless, as well as poor by their 
 persecutions, cruelties, imprisonments, lines and dis- 
 tresses, and many times spoil of their goods, upon their 
 persecuting acts and laws. Our religious assemblies 
 have been often disturbed and broken by the persecu- 
 ting agents, oilicers, and soldiers, &c. and many of us 
 apprehended and brought before magistrates, and wit- 
 nesses called and examined, and no matter of evil fact 
 proved against any of us, either of any breach of the 
 public peace or sedition, much less of any contrivance 
 of insurrection, or of any other dangerous practice what- 
 soever ; or if the meeting was taken sometime wholly 
 silent, or altogether in silence, yet the persecuting jus- 
 tices would endeavour to make it a seditious conventi- 
 cle, when they could have no proof of any sedition, or 
 unlawful act whatsoever, or colour of evidence thereof 
 against it, or any of our meetings wlmtsoever. 
 
 <' The manner of their proceeding to conviction 
 against many of us, has been thus, viz. When appre- 
 hended and convened before the magistrates, and the 
 officers or witnesses called, they declare they took such
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 
 
 189 
 
 and such persons in such a conventicle or meeting. 
 The magistrate asks, What did they do there? If the 
 witness answers, he tooic such an one preaching, or 
 teaching, or praying ; and he be asked, What did he 
 say ? Commonly the witness or witnesses cannot re- 
 member one sentence, preached or prayed. However 
 the persecuting magistrate takes it for granted, it was 
 a seditious conventicle, though he has no proof of any 
 sedition preached, taught, or uttered in prayer, nor any 
 evidence or knowledge of what was said, preached, or 
 prayed, yet presently he passes judgment, enters con- 
 viction, and imprisons the persons convened. 
 
 " If any of the persons takfen, confessed they were 
 met to worship God in spirit and Truth, or to wait upon 
 God ; this the persecuting magistrates presently lay 
 hold of, and say. That is enough, or they have con- 
 fessed enough to convict them of a conventicle, or un- 
 lawful assembly. 
 
 " And if the witnesses, or informers, have no evi- 
 dence to give, of any matter of fact, or overt act, or 
 colour of religious exercise done in the meeting ; but 
 only that the meeting was all in silence, as many times 
 it hath been ; yet the persecuting magistrates, or jus- 
 tices, would either make a riot, or unlawful assembly 
 of such a quiet and silent meeting, when there was not 
 the least appearance of a riot, force, or violence, nor 
 any thing acted or spoken in terrorum, or to the hurt 
 or injury of any one's person or property whatsoever.* 
 
 " When a persecuting justice with a constable and 
 others comes huffing and stamping into the assembly, 
 whether all be in silence or one preaching, and either 
 commands the people to be pulled out of the meeting, 
 or the doors to be shut to keep them in, and their 
 
 ■* Judge Bridman charging a jury at Hertford, said: "You are 
 not to expect a plain punctual evidence against them, for any thing 
 they said or did at their meeting ; for they may speak to one ano- 
 ther, though not with articulate sounds, hut by a cast of the eye, or 
 a motion of the head or foot, or gesture of the body." Sewel, vol. ii. 
 page 135. Editor.
 
 190 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 names to be taken ; the officers and other rude persons, 
 either pull and hale people out till they are tired, or 
 take names, &c. until they are weary, according as they 
 have command. The justice then either imprisons, or 
 fines many of the persons who are most noted, though 
 he saw no fact committed, of any evil nature or ten- 
 dency. 
 
 " Persecuting justices would easily receive informa- 
 tions against our religious meetings, how ignorant and 
 impertinent soever they were. If an envious person 
 or informer told the justice, that the Quakers were 
 met under colour of religious exercise, contrary to the 
 Liturgy and practice of the Church of England, and 
 declared that there was preaching or praying in such 
 a meeting, although he remembered not one word ex- 
 pressed in cither; such ignorant evidence has been 
 often deemed sufficient for conviction : the informer or 
 witness thus presuming to be judge both of law and 
 fact, when probably he understands not what the word 
 liturgy means, nor can explain the propriety or extent 
 of that term, or of the expression, ^rac/tVe of the Church 
 of England ; which practice is not limited to reading 
 the common prayer.*" 
 
 * This passage may be illustrated by the views of some of the 
 jurymen, on the trial of a number of Friends in London, for meet- 
 ing for worship in olker tnanner than is allowed by the Liiurgy and 
 practice of the Church of England. 
 
 " Tlie jury, in the first instance, brought in their verdict, that 
 four of the prisoners were not guilty, and the rest they could not 
 agree on. The judge (Hyde) being much displeased, sent them 
 out again with fresh instructions ; they returned with this verdict, 
 guilty of meeting but not of fact. The judge inquiring what they 
 meant by not guilty of fact, the jury replied : ' Here is evidence 
 that they met at the Bull and Moutli, therefore we say guilty of 
 meeting : but no evidence of what they did there, and therefore 
 we say, not guilty of meeting contrary to the Liturgy of the Church 
 of England.' The judge a.skcd some of the jury, whether they did 
 not believe in their consciences, that they were there under colour 
 and pretence of worship i" To which one of them replied: 'I do 
 believe in my conscience, that tliey were met to worship in deed 
 and in truth.' Another said : 'My lord, I have that venerable re- 
 spect for the Liturgy of the Church of England, as to believe it is
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 
 
 191 
 
 It was observable, as well as memorable, that as the 
 rulers and government in those days were often warn- 
 ed of the impending judgments of God, if they would 
 not desist and leave off their persecutions ; so when 
 they were making haste to have us banished out of the 
 land, and especially out of the city of f^ondon and su- 
 burbs thereof, in the years lGG4and 1GG5, and for that 
 end the gaols were often filled and crowded, whereby 
 many innocent people suffered death ; God was pleased 
 even then, in the year 16G5, to hasten his heavy judg- 
 ment and sad calamity of the great plague, or raging 
 pestilence upon the said city, and some other places in 
 the land, whereby many thousands of the inhabitants 
 died , sometimes above six thousand in a week, of all 
 sorts, both of good and evil, men and women, besides 
 innocent children. Though the calamity was common 
 to all classes, yet were the righteous taken away from 
 the evil to come, and it went ill with the wicked; but 
 for all this they would not return to the Lord ; neither 
 would the cruel persecutors repent of their abominable 
 cruelties, but persisted therein as far as they could ; 
 disturbing our meetings and imprisoning, until they 
 were frightened with the plague. Even in this time 
 there were many of our innocent Friends confined in 
 gaols, which seemed no small piece of barbarity and in- 
 humanity, especially when the infectious contagion so 
 greatly prevailed in the city. I have told some persons 
 in authority of this cruelty, &c. to manifest what mercy 
 
 according to the Scriptures, which allow of the worship of God in 
 spirit; and tiicrcfore I conclude, to worship God in spirit is not 
 contrary to the Liturgy : if it be, I shall abate of my respect for 
 it.' " GoHgh, vol. ii. page Vi9. 
 
 Such decision and good feeling were but rarely met with in the 
 juries of those days; who in general united with judges and in- 
 formers, in the illegal application of unjust laws. The king and 
 the legislature, tiie judges and the people, were combined together 
 to oppress tender consciences, in the support of the idol of unifor- 
 mity : who can wonder that such a nation was ripe for heavy 
 calamities ! Editor'
 
 192 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 their church then showed us, and that men of modera- 
 tion or any compassion would be ashamed thereof. 
 
 In the year 1665, and in that very summer when the 
 plague and mortality were so great, the persecutors in 
 London were busy to send away our Friends whom 
 they had sentenced for banishment, and closely detain- 
 ed in prison in order thereto. 
 
 They began soon in the year to force our Friends on 
 shipboard. The first Friends they shipped to send 
 away, were Edward Brush, Robert Hayes, and James 
 Harding; who on the twenty-fourth day of the first 
 month, 1665, were early in the morning, without any 
 timely warning, hurried down from Newgate to Black- 
 friars stairs by the turnkeys, and from thence to Graves- 
 end, and there forced on shipboard ; the said Edward 
 Brush being a very aged man, and a citizen of good 
 repute among his neighbours and many persons of qua- 
 lity, yet was thus sent away and banished from his dear 
 wife and child. But a more lamentable instance of 
 the persecutors' cruelty in this undertaking was, that 
 the said Robert Hayes being taken fasting out of pri- 
 son, and weak in body, having been under a course of 
 physic, was carried forth upon the water to Gravesend, 
 the season being very cold ; and having no outward re- 
 freshment or relief afforded him by the way on the 
 water, within a very short time after he was put on 
 shipboard he died there; and his body was brought up 
 to London and buried in our Friends' burying place. 
 
 I knew this Robert Hayes ; he was a very innocent, 
 loving man, a good like person, had a fresh, comely 
 countenance, seemed healthy and in his prime strength 
 when first imprisoned. 1 was very sorrowfully affect- 
 ed, when 1 heard how quickly he was dispatched out 
 of the world, by that shameful cruelly and inhuman 
 usage, inflicted upon him by those merciless persecu- 
 tors.* 
 
 * Edward Brush and James Harding were sent to Jamaica, 
 where they were prosperous and lived in good circumstances, Ed-
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 
 
 193 
 
 On the 1 8th of the second month, 1065, seven nnore 
 of our Friends were taken out of Newgate and carried 
 to Gravesend, and there put on shipboard for banish- 
 ment, as the others were before. 
 
 Not many days after those Friends were embarked, 
 one of the grand persecutors was suddenly cut off by 
 death, namely, judge Hyde; who, it is said, was seen 
 well at Westminster in the morning, and died in his 
 closet about noon. 
 
 About this time the plague began to increase more 
 and more, and the first that was known to die thereof 
 in the city, was within a few doors of the said Edward 
 Brush's house. And the plague so increased, until of 
 that and other distempers, there died eight thousand in 
 a week in and about the city of London. Oh ! the 
 hardheartedness, cruelty, and presumption of our per- 
 secutors ; who in that time of the great calamity and 
 mortality, in the fifth month, 1005, took fifty-five men 
 and women, of our Friends, out of Newgate, and forced 
 them on board the ship called the Black Eagle, which 
 lay some time at Buggby's Hole ; and the sickness be- 
 ing in Newgate, whence they were carried out to the 
 ship, the distemper broke out among them when so 
 crowded, that the most of them were infected ; inso- 
 much that about twenty-seven of them soon died on 
 shipboard, some at Buggby's Hole and the rest beyond 
 Gravesend. 
 
 1 visited these Friends and had a meeting with them 
 when on shipboard ; and the Lord my God preserved 
 me both from the distemper and from banishment, 
 wherein I do humbly confess his power and special 
 Providence, to his own praise and glory alone. 
 
 Having some time of respite between my imprison- 
 ments, before the sickness in London, 1 travelled to visit 
 our Friends in the country, and sometimes into the nor- 
 
 ward Brusli was an aged man at the time of his banishment, and 
 left behind iiiin a beloved wife and only child ; but aa:ed as he was, 
 he survived the term of his exile, returned to his country, and died 
 at home in peace. Editor. 
 
 VOL. I. R
 
 194 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 thern counties ; and near the bejjinning of (hat summer, 
 16G5, when the pestilence was begun in London, 1 was 
 in the county of Surrey, and having a meeting at John 
 Smith's house at Worplesdon, his brother Stephen 
 Smith and his wife, &.c. came to the mi-eting; where 
 Stephen and his wife were convinced of the Truth, 
 which the Lord enabled me to declare, and livingly to 
 demonstrate, at that time, as at many other times and 
 meetings. 
 
 I soon came to London, and my lodging was at the 
 house of William Travers, tobacconist, in Watling 
 Street. 
 
 It was a time of great calamity and sorrow, to many 
 thousands of all sorts; and that which added to our 
 Friends' affliction was, the hardness of our persecutors' 
 hearts, their cruelty and barbarity in imprisoning and 
 detaining many of them both in Newgate, London, and 
 in the White Lion prison in Southwark, after the plague 
 was greatly broken forth, and many people were swept 
 away thereby. 
 
 I had not then freedom to leave the city, or Friends 
 in and about London, in that time of great calamity, 
 no, not when the mortality was at the height ; but was 
 concerned and given up in spirit to stay among them 
 to attend Friends' meetings, to visit Friends, even when 
 many of them lay sick of the contagion, both in prison 
 and in their habitations. And in all that time the Lord 
 preserved me by his power, from that infectious dis- 
 temper; which mercy 1 esteemed great and wonderful, 
 and hope ever thankfully to remember, in a living sense 
 of the same Divine Hand which upheld and preserved 
 me. 
 
 And although it was judged the prisons were then in- 
 fected and poisoned with the contagion, I was freely 
 given up to sutler imprisonment ; and on first-days took 
 my night-cap in my pocket when I went to meetings, 
 not knowing but I might be apprehended and committed 
 to prison. However, the Lord gave me faith to be re- 
 signed to his will, either to live or to die for his JVame
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 195 
 
 and Truth's sake; and through all those dangers and 
 dirticulties, to bear my testimony in faithfulness to his 
 blessed Power and l^ight of righteousness; and He 
 thereby sustained and wonderfully preserved my life, 
 when the cry and sound of mortality was round about 
 us, from one end and side of the city to another. 
 
 As the contagion and sickness increased, many of 
 our persecutors were so terrified, that their hands were 
 for some time weakened ; yet still many of them were 
 so hardened that they were resolved to proceed against 
 us unto banishment : as when Pharaoh saw there was 
 respite, he hardened his heart, so did our persecutors, 
 when the calamity did not come upon themselves ; 
 though they saw how it was abroad in the world, great- 
 ly destroying the inhabitants thereof: for it was ob- 
 served in tiie weekly bill, tiiat when the plague was 
 roost hot and violent in and about London, seven thou- 
 sand one hundred and sixty-five died thereof in one 
 week ; and in that year, 1665, of the same distemper, 
 sixty eight thousand five hundred and ninety-six, ac- 
 cording to the yearly bill. 
 
 1 was then deeply concerned in my spirit for our 
 Friends, to visit both such of them as were sick in pri- 
 son and out of prison, even when some of them were 
 very near death ; being often in great suffering and tra- 
 vail of spirit, with earnest prayer and fervent supplica- 
 tions to God for them, who were sufferers by imprison- 
 ment and this visitation, that God would appear for 
 them and plead their innocent cause, and afford them 
 speedy help and deliverance. Being then a witness of 
 that love which casts out fear, through the great mercy 
 and love of my Heavenly Father manifested in his dear 
 Son, I was not afraid to visit my Friends when sick and 
 in infected prisons. The Lord did support and bear up 
 my spirit in living faith, true and fervent love above 
 the fear of death or the contagious distemper, and my 
 life was resigned and given up, in the will of Him who 
 gave it, for my Friends and brethren ; for whose sake 
 true Christian love would engage us to lay down our
 
 196 MEMOIRS, «kc. 
 
 lives to save theirs, if required of the Lord so to mani- 
 fest our unfeigned love one for another: and the Lord 
 gave us great consolation, comfort, and courage ; hav- 
 ing received certain testimony and evidence in our 
 hearts, of the love of God which we did partake of in 
 Christ. Jesus, from which we believed no wrath of man, 
 no persecutions, calamities, nor distresses should sepa- 
 rate us. 
 
 In those times of severe trials, those questions and 
 answers given by the apostle, Rom. viii. 35, &c. were 
 often remembered : " Who shall separate us from the 
 love of Christ ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or perse- 
 cution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword 1 As 
 it is written : For Thy sake we are killed all the day 
 long ; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 
 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors 
 through Him that loved us : for I am persuaded, that 
 neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor 
 powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor 
 height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able 
 to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ 
 Jesus our Lord."
 
 ( 197 ) 
 
 SECTION X. 
 
 ♦ The Oxford five mile act — George Whitehead addresses two 
 epistles to Friends during their trials — The great fire in London, 
 1666. — Friends continue their meetings — George Whitehead 
 continues principally in London — and marries in the year 1669. 
 In 1686 he lost his wife — and in 1688 married again. — The nar- 
 rative reverts to the fire in London. — A further act to prevent 
 seditious conventicles in 1670. 
 
 In consequence of the plague prevailing in London, 
 the Parliament was convened this year at Oxford. The 
 joint calamities of war and pestilence, which at this 
 time distressed the city and nation, seemed to have 
 made no profitable impression on the members of this 
 Parliament, so as to incline them to a better temper to- 
 wards the nonconformists. As if the sufferings of every 
 class of the people were not sufficient, and as if the 
 evil of nonconformity was the only sin of the nation, 
 they proceeded to enact a fresh penal law, commonly- 
 known by the name of the " Oxford Jive mile act ;" 
 which received the royal assent, October the 31st, 
 1665. It required all parsons and others in holy orders, 
 who had not subscribed the " j(lct of Uniformity,'^ to 
 swear that under any circumstances, it was unlawful to 
 take up arms against the king, and that they would 
 not at any time endeavour ani/ alteration of government 
 in church or state. Those nonconformist ministers who 
 would not subscribe this oath of passive obedience, were 
 forbid under a penalty of forty pounds, except in pass- 
 ing the road, to come within five miles of any city, 
 town corporate, or borough that sends burgesses lo 
 Parliament, or within five miles of any parish, town, 
 or place wherein they had, since the passing of the act 
 
 * This notice of the Oxford act, is not in George Whitehead's 
 memoirs. 
 
 R 2
 
 198 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 of oblivion, been parsons, &c. or where they had preach- 
 ed in any conventicle. They were also rendered in- 
 capable of teaching any public or private schools, or of 
 taking any boarders to be instructed, under the same 
 penalty. 
 
 Though this act was principally aimed at the Pres- 
 byterians and Independents, who had formerly enjoyed 
 the ecclesiastical emoluments, and many of them suffer- 
 ed severely from it; yet it was also frequently em- 
 ployed against the poor Quakers, by the tendering of 
 them the oath; and thus, though from their peaceable 
 principles they could readily declare that they held it 
 unlawful to take up arms against the king, or to sub- 
 vert either church or state, yet as they would not swear 
 to it, they were frequently committed to prison. See 
 Sewel and Gough. 
 
 It is observable that the prevalence of the plague 
 had but little influence in checking the persecuting 
 spirit. As to outward appearance, " One event hap- 
 pened to the righteous and the wicked ;" men hardened 
 their hearts, and did not seek to propitiate the Divine 
 favour by amending their ways. Indeed, it would ap- 
 pear that the persecutors were disposed to attribute 
 the calamity to the prevalence of unorthodox notions, 
 rather than to the corrupt and vicious practices which 
 were spread like a leprosy over the court and the peo- 
 ple. 
 
 During these great trials, George Whitehead's faith 
 appears to have been unshaken ; and he addressed two 
 affectionate and encouraging epistles to his Friends, 
 whose spirits were saddened and cast down under 
 the afflictions of the times ; the latter written after 
 the heat of the contagion was over : from both of them 
 I shall give a few extracts. 
 
 FIRST EPISTLE. 
 
 " O, dear Friends ! 
 
 " Yon that have received the testimony of God's love
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 199 
 
 and salvation, and have tasted of the power of an end- 
 less life, look not out nor be discouraj^ed at the deep 
 sutlieiiiig and trial of tlie present time; though many 
 have a deep sense thereof upon their spirits, and the 
 hearts of many be saddened, to see how universal this 
 calamity and overflowing scourge is, in this day of 
 sweeping, si. ting, and trying ; wlierein the gift ot many 
 must be thoroughly tried, and their patience proved, 
 to the resigrmient of life anc! all into the will ol the Fa- 
 ther, in whose hands we are ; who knows what is best 
 for his children, and whose ways are not to be mea- 
 sured nor found out by the wisdom of man ; for his 
 works and proceedings are in a cross to all carnal rea- 
 son and expectations, and to the confounding thereof. 
 But they who, in the faith and patience of Christ, do 
 give up to his will, as those that live by faith in Him, 
 and whose hope and refuge the Lord is, such shall never 
 be confounded nor afraid, though the earth be re- 
 moved ; neither shall thi y be discouraged or unsettled 
 because of the wicked, who, when he is in great pouer, 
 flourishes like a green bay-tree ; for he passeth away 
 and shall not be found. And he that enters into the 
 sanctuary of the Lord, and there abides, shall see the 
 end of his enemies and persecutors, who stand in slip- 
 pery places, though for a time they have seemed to 
 prosper in the world. 
 
 "And dear Friends, who have a sense of the suffer- 
 ings of the Righteous Seed, which bears the afflictions, 
 sorrows, and sutlt-'rings of God's people through all, and 
 hath been bruised and wounded under the weight and 
 burden of people's iniquities ; though He has been 
 deemed as one plagued or smitten of God — all of you 
 keep in the sense of the power of Christ, by which you 
 may feel your preservation, through faith in Him who 
 is given for a Covenant of Life and Light; and retire 
 to Him who is manifest for a sure hiding place to the 
 upright, in the day of calamity and hour of temptation ; 
 in Him you will witness plenteous redemption, and the 
 refreshments of his life, overall the troubles and sutier-
 
 200 MKMOIHS OP 
 
 ings of the present time, and over all fears and doubt- 
 ings whicli thereupon would beset any of you, to wea- 
 ken you either inwardly or outwardly. 
 
 "And let none admit unbelief or hard thoughts, nor 
 be shaken in mind beeause of the deep sullerings of 
 n)any of the dear servants of the. Lord at this day, who 
 are as killed and crucitied, and all the day long ac- 
 counted as sheep for the slaughter ; nor at the great 
 calamity and mortality in this lading city, which ex- 
 tends to the upright and innocent, as well as to the un- 
 righteous ; and to divers of the sufferers for Truth in 
 their conhnements, who have not contributed to the 
 cause of God's displeasure herein, but are taken away 
 in mercy as to them, and from the evil to come; and 
 set in safety from the future cruelties, and wicked de- 
 signs of their oppressors and cruel minded persecutors, 
 who have hunted for the blood of the innocent; and 
 may not only be charged with not visiting Christ when 
 lie was sick and in prison, but also with killing and 
 niurderin;^; Him in prison ; inasmuch as it is done to any 
 of his little ones, by their cruel confinements in pesti- 
 lenti.il or poisonous places. But we know that for the 
 faithful assuredly remains victory, triumph, and ever- 
 lasting safety, though it be through death to many of 
 them ; who know that it is neither tribulation, nor dis- 
 tress, nor persecution, nor famine, nor death, nor life, 
 &-C. that shall be able to separate from the love of 
 Christ ; and hereof we have a sure evidence and living 
 confidence, in the Name and Power of the Lord our 
 God ; to whom be glory and praises for ever 1" 
 
 SECOND EPISTLE. " Yea, blesscd forcvcr be thc name 
 of our God, who hath given us strength and courage to 
 stand in an evil day, over hell, and death, and the de- 
 vil, with all his fiery darts and fierce assaults against 
 the righteous. The Lord hath spared and will spare a 
 remnant, to bear his mark and name upon earth, and 
 to hold forth a living testimony for his glory and praise 
 amongst the sons of men ; for which many have not
 
 O. WHITEHEAD. 201 
 
 loved their lives unto death, hut have oirored up their 
 lives: as many manifestly did in that city of London 
 the hist summer, when such a sore visitation and cala- 
 mity vvas upon that place, wherein many ollcred up 
 life and all, for the. truth, and their afflicted brethren 
 and sisters; for whose sakes my soul has been often so 
 greatly bowed down and afflicted, that neither life it- 
 self, nor any outward privilege, did seem too dear to 
 me to resign, or oiler up for their sakes. 
 
 " And the life, peace, satisfaction, and comfort, that 
 many innocent Friends felt, and that some expressed 
 and signified on their death-beds, I arn a living witness 
 of for them; having at some times, as the Lord hath 
 drawn me in his lov(;, been present with many of them, 
 when they were very low in the outward man, and 
 with divers when upon their death beds, both in that 
 destructive place of Wewgate, and some other places. 
 Yea, when sorrow and sadness have seized upon my 
 spirit, and my heart and soul have been pierced and 
 wounded when 1 have seen the sad sullerings of so 
 many harmless lambs, when they were on their sick 
 beds in these noisonie holes and prisons ; yet at the 
 same time, having had a deep sense and knowledge of 
 the Lord's love and care to them in that condition, and 
 having truly felt his Life and Power stirring amongst 
 them; this, on the other hand, has refreshed and re- 
 vived mv spirit, knowing that (Jhrist, their Salvation 
 and Redemption, was manifest (o and in them, though 
 in that suffering state. Having followed and obeyed 
 Him through sufferings and tribulations, with such to 
 live was Christ, even in that state; and to die was gain ; 
 it being through death that the Lord had appointed the 
 final deliverance of many, from the cruelties and rod 
 of their oppressors, and from the miseries and evils to 
 come. 
 
 " And also the faithfulness, uprightness, and innocen- 
 cy of divers of those that were taken away, and their 
 constancy of spirit to the Lord and his living Truth, 
 and their unfeigned love to the brethren, by the which
 
 202 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 it was evident Ihcy had passed from death to life, and 
 that living and faithful teslimony they did hear for the 
 Lord in their lifetime, heing well known and manifest 
 amongst us; their memoriafis truly precious to us, and 
 never to he forgotten ; and we are satisfied that they 
 were counted worthy for the Lord; and the world was 
 not worthy of them. 
 
 "And now if such as take advantage against us on 
 the occasion aforesaid, whether they he open or secret 
 smiters or enemies, did either riglitly or seriously come 
 to weigh their conditions, and let God's witness judge 
 in the case, they have no cause to boast, glor\ , or insult 
 over us, or against us; for that they are not their own 
 keepers, nor is their life continued by their own power ; 
 and how soon their time may be expired, and their 
 judgment overtake them, they know not, nor how soon 
 their days may be cut asunder. Certainly their con- 
 demnation slumbers not, who in the pride of their hearts 
 and presumption of their spirits, turn against the suf- 
 fering seed of God, under what profession and pretence 
 soever. And knowing also, that many that were of 
 their own spirit and principle, have also been taken 
 away under the same calamity; for it has extended to 
 all sorts, both holy and profane; they have cause to 
 dread and fear before the Lord, and not to be high 
 nninded nor presumptions ; for the mouth of the boaster 
 and exalted must be stopped, and all flesh and carnal 
 reason is to be silent in this matter, for God's power is 
 over it all. 
 
 " Now my dear Friends and tender hearts, commit 
 your way to the Lord, and cast your burden upon Him, 
 and He will bear you up and sustain you, by his own 
 right hand of power. And live in the Immortal Seed 
 and spiritual communion, where Life and peace is daily 
 received, and your mutual refresl)ment and consola- 
 tion stands, and wherein the spirits of just men are seen 
 and felt, and the life of God's faithful servants and mar- 
 tyrs, and such as have finished their teslimony with 
 joy and peace, is enjoyed ; even in this spiritual com-
 
 G. WHITEUEAD. 203 
 
 munion, which reaches heyond all visiblcs, and is above 
 all mortal and fading objects or things. ISo in the dear 
 and tender love of God, which dwells and lives in my 
 heart towards you, and all the faithful every where, 
 1 commit you to Him in whom our help and deliverance 
 is; and in the kingdom of Christ's patience, am your 
 dear and faithful friend and brother, 
 
 G. W." 
 
 The next year, after the city and suburbs of London 
 were so greatly thinned and depopulated by the plague, 
 the dreadful fire began, and broke out in Pudding lane, 
 over against the place where the monument stands; 
 whereby, in a few days time, a very great part of the 
 city, within the walls, was burnt down and the habita- 
 tionsconsumed, except a few streets and parts of streets, 
 to the great amazement, terror, and distraction of the 
 inhabitants; who were forced to flee for their lives, 
 with what goods they could save, into Moorfields and 
 the out parts, and there to lie abroad with their goods 
 for several nights and days ; the country bringing in 
 bread, &-c. for their relief. Oh ! my soul greatly pitied 
 the inhabitants, when I saw them lie in the fields, in 
 that poor mournful condition. 
 
 One passage I may not omit by the way, because it 
 has been misrepresented and false reports spread about 
 it, viz. one Thomas Ibbott, or Ibbit, a Huntingdonshire 
 man, came to London two days before the fire, in great 
 haste, being on a sixth day of the week, and alighted off 
 his horse with his clothes loose, (supposed by some to be 
 a person under distraction or discomposure of mind, as 
 I understood by divers,) and very much hastened or run 
 through the city, toward Whitehall, in such a like pos- 
 ture as many of the inhabitants were forced to flee 
 from the fire, when they had scarce time to put on or 
 fasten their wearing clothes about them ; such a sign 
 he appeared to be, and foretold his vision which he had 
 before, that the cily would be laid waste by fire, ac- 
 cording as I was informed ; for I saw him not until that
 
 204 MEMOIES OF 
 
 day's morning when the fire was broken out. But the 
 evening after the said Thomas Ibbott had passed 
 through the city, I met with some of our women 
 Friends at the Bull and Mouth, near Aldersgate, who 
 gave me a pretty full account of him ; how he had been 
 with them that day, and told them his vision of the fire 
 and message to London : and that to them he appeared 
 very zealous and hot in his spirit, when he told them 
 tl.ereof;and they were afraid he was under some dis- 
 composure of mind, which made them somewhat ques- 
 tion or doubt of what he told them. 
 
 Yet I was not at that time without some secret fear, 
 concerning this Friend Thomas Ibbott, lest he might 
 run out, or be exalted by the enemy into some con- 
 ceit or imagination or other, especially when he saw 
 his vision come to pass the next morning. It was when 
 the fire had broken out as aforesaid, from the place 
 where it began, and early in the morning was got down 
 to the bridge and Thames-street, the wind easterly and 
 so high that it drove the fire more violently and irresis- 
 tibly before it, blowing great flakes over houses and 
 from one to another. 
 
 Also in a letter of his, a few days before the fire was 
 over, he mentioned the true number of days when the 
 vision of fire should be accomplished ; so that he had a 
 certain vision and discovery given him in that particu- 
 lar. And to show that there remained a sincerity in the 
 man, when his mind came to be settled he wrote a 
 letter to some Friends in London, wherein, after remem- 
 bering his love to G. W. J. C. and S. H. he hath these 
 words following, viz. 
 
 .*•! dare not much stir up or down any ways, for 
 peop'e's looking at what was done, lest the Lord should 
 be olTended, farther then my own outward business 
 lies. 
 
 " I have been much tempted and exercised ; yet 
 through mercy have found help in the needful time. 
 Whatsoever slips or failings Friends saw in me, in the 
 time 1 was with them, 1 would have none take notice
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 205 
 
 of; for I was under great exercises and often run too 
 fast, which the Lord in his due time gave me a sight 
 of. In the love of my Father, Atrcweli, 
 
 ♦' T. I."* 
 
 * Though by no means anxious to search after what may be 
 deemed the manieUous in connexion with the history of our Society, 
 deeming the gift of prophecy, in the sense of speaking unto men to 
 edification, more to be esteemed tiian the speaking in unknown 
 tongues or than other marvellous gifts, yet neither am I disposed 
 ta exclude all extraordinary circumstances from religious history or 
 biography. Nothing is more fallacious than our schemes of what is 
 fitting to the Divine economy. Both in nature and in grace it may 
 truly be said, that " God moves in a mysterious way;" and I can- 
 not see either the philosophy or the piety of denying well authenli- 
 cated fads, because we may not be able to reconcile them with our 
 system, or with what is called the natural course of things. Let 
 what is extraordinary be carefully investigated — but surely well 
 authenticated testimony in regard to facts, is stronger evidence 
 than any which can be brought against it, drawn from our notions of 
 the Divine economy. If wo could see the whole course of Divino 
 Providence, we should probably find that many of our wisest ge- 
 neralizations had been hasty and imperfect, and have in regard to 
 these, to confess that we had known but a very small portion of the 
 Diiine ways. It is reasonable therefore to expect many exceptions 
 to our rules; and it is the part of true philosophy to collect rather 
 than to reject them. 
 
 Whatever might be the weakness of the man, how, without 
 some supernatural direction, he should be led to proclaim the ap- 
 proach of so extraordinary an event, is to me inexplicable. Of 
 those who admit the authenticity of the fact, many will probably 
 attribute the presentiment to a morbid brainular action, and assert 
 that such an instrument could not be employed to declare the Di- 
 vine dis[)leasure at the prevailing profligacy and cruelty, and to 
 call men, by the evidence of the Divino prescience and retributive 
 Providence, to turn from the evil of their ways. I confess I cannot 
 60 philosophize; but whatever may be the true explication of the 
 circumstances, I beg it may be observed that the weakness of the 
 man appears to have been rightly estimated by his friends; and 
 that neither before nor subsequently to this extraordinary affair, 
 was he a person of any influence in the Society, 
 
 This observation will be confirmed by Sewel's account of the 
 transaction: "Thomas Ibbit of Huntingdonshire came to London 
 a few days before the burning of that city, and, as hath been relat- 
 ed by eye-witnesses, did upon his coming thither alight from his 
 horse, and unbutton his clothes in so loose a manner as if they had 
 been put on in haste, just out of bed. In this manner he went 
 about the city on iho sixth, being the day he came there, and also 
 
 VOL. I. S
 
 2^6 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 When the city was burnt down and laid in ashes, 
 we had our meetings on the fourth-day, weekly, near 
 Wheeler-street; our usual place, the Bull and Mouth, 
 beini^ then demolished by the fire, at which place our 
 meetings had been most disturbed ; and at other out 
 parts, olfand about the city, we kept our meetings at 
 the usual times and places, as at the Peel in St. John's 
 street, Westminster ; liorslydown, on Southwark side ; 
 RatclifT, Devonshire-house, Old Buildings ; and then 
 had some respite and ease from violent persecution and 
 disturbance for a time, until the city came in a great 
 measure to be rebuilt. 
 
 Yet still the persecuting spirit and design of perse- 
 cution remained in our adversaries: so many of them 
 as were not cut off by the plague took no warning there- 
 by, nor by the subsequent consuming fire which had 
 laid waste the best part of the city. 
 
 the seventh day of the week, pronouncing a judgment by fire, 
 v.hicli should lay waste the city. On the evening of those days, 
 some of his friends had meetings with him, to enquire concerning 
 his message and call to pronounce that impending judgment ; in 
 his account whereof he was not more particular and clear tlian that 
 he said, he had had for some time the vision tiiereof, but had de- 
 layed to come and declare it as commanded, until he felt, as he ex- 
 pressed it, the fire in his own bosom ; which message or vision was 
 very suddenly proved to be sadly true. The fire begun on the 2nd 
 of September, 1666, on the first day of the week ; which did im- 
 mediately follow those two days, the said Thomas Ibbit had gone 
 about the city declaring that judgment. 
 
 " Havitig gone up and down the city as hath been said, when 
 afterwards he saw the fire break out, and beheld the fulfilling of his 
 prediction, a spiritual pride seized on him, which if othershad not 
 been wiser than he, might have tended to his utter destruction ; for 
 the fire being couie as far as the east end of Cheapside, he placed 
 himself before the flame, and spread his arms forth, as if to stay 
 the progress of it ; and if one Thomas Matthews, with others, 
 had not pulled him, seeming now altogether distracted, from thence, 
 it was like he might have perished by the fire. Yet in process of 
 time, as I have been told, he came to some recovery, and confess- 
 ed this error: an evident proof of human weakness, and a noto- 
 rious instance of our frailty, when we assume to ourselves the do- 
 ing of any thing which Heaven alone can enable us." — yol. ii. p. 
 199, 200. Editor.
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 207 
 
 Though the Lord our God was pleased to give our 
 Friends in London, faith and courage as well as resolu- 
 tion to build our meeting-house in White-Hart court, 
 by Grace-church street ; yet we were not then without 
 expectation of further persecution and suffering, for 
 meeting in that as well as other places in and about 
 the city. And so it came to pass after the said meet- 
 ing house was built ; our meetings were frequently dis- 
 turbed, especially on first days of the week, by the 
 trained bands and informers ; and many of us forcibly 
 haled out, and our meetings often kept in the street, 
 where sometimes we had opportunities openly to de- 
 clare the Truth and preach the Gospel, as well as 
 publicly to pray to Almighty God ; yet not always 
 suffered so to do, but often in the very time violently 
 pulled away, whilst in the exercise of the Gospel minis- 
 try ; and likewise when we have been in solemn pray- 
 er to Almighty God, we have been laid hold on and 
 violently taken, and many of us had to the Exchange, 
 and there kept under a guard of soldiers until the af- 
 ternoon ; and then had before the mayor, who would 
 be ready to fine or imprison us, or otherwise to bind us 
 over to appear at the sessions, or rather to tak'^, our 
 words to appear, if he was a person of some moderation 
 toward us: and the latter obligation we rather chose, 
 that was, conditionally to promise w^e would appear if 
 the Lord pleased, rather than be bound by recogni- 
 zance or bond to appear ; because commonly in their 
 recognizances they would put the words, " and in the 
 mean time to be of the good behaviour." But we could 
 not assent to be so bound ; because we knew they would 
 interpret our religious, solemn meetings a breach of 
 " the good behaviour ;" which meetings we could ne- 
 ver yield to decline. 
 
 But as for me; my share has been imprisonment of- 
 tener than liberty upon parole or promise, being more 
 cautious of being any ways ensnared thereby, contra- 
 ry to my Christian liberty and testimony, than of im- 
 prisonment or outward confinement ; w hieh was not
 
 308 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 only my own care, respecting my inward peace and 
 liberty in Christ Jesus, but it was also the care of all 
 faithful Friends and brethren in those days, to keep 
 out of all such snares as would infringe that liberty. 
 We chose rather to expose our persons to be trampled 
 on in the streets, by our persecuting adversaries, if per- 
 mitted, than bow down our souls at their command. 
 Isa. li. 23. 
 
 Although in those suffering times, I was much con- 
 cerned to attend our Friends' disturbed meetings in and 
 about London, yet at sundry times 1 had a concern laid 
 upon me to visit our Friends and their meetings in the 
 county of Surrey, particularly on that side where our 
 dear friend Stephen Smith and his flimily lived ; they 
 having not long before that time, in great love, received 
 theTruth through my testimony, as before related ; and 
 I visited and had divers good and blessed meetingsin those 
 parts, both at Stephen Smith's house at Purbright, and 
 other places towards Guilford; where the Lord was 
 with me, helped and comforted me in his work and. ser- 
 vice, as at other times and places. 
 
 George Whitehead apprehending that his post in 
 serving and suffering for the cause he had espoused, 
 was, in future, likely to be chiefly in London, he thought 
 of entering into the married state and settling there; 
 and in the year 1609, he married Ann Greenwel, a 
 widow residing in London ; who, it appears, was a per- 
 son much esteemed for her piety and attachment to the 
 cause of Truth, of which she had been one of the first 
 receivers. 
 
 She was considerably older than her husband ; but 
 the connexion appears to have furnished a true help- 
 meet to him, imtil her death in the year 1680. He 
 remained a widower two years, during which he had 
 some doubts whether he should marry again ; but 
 having earnestly sought the Lord to direct him aright, 
 he felt freedom to enter again into the married slate; 
 (being also encouraged in the step by his friends ;) and
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 209 
 
 made proposals to a Friend of the name of Ann God- 
 dard, " an honest and virtuously inclined maid ;" who 
 wasconsidcrably younger than himself, andof whom and 
 their connexion he says : " She was an ingenious and 
 careful wife ; and we were mutually comforted togeth- 
 er, in true love and tender atf'ection. We had but one 
 child, which the Lord took away, it dying in the birth. 
 Howbeit, He (the Lord) so sanctified that and other 
 disappointments and afllictions to us, in this lower world, 
 that He gave us faith and patience to bear them, and 
 to look above, beyond all external objects of delight and 
 afflictions here below, which are but momentary, to an 
 eternal inheritance in his heavenly kingdom. Glory 
 to His excellent Name for ever !" 
 
 s 2
 
 ( 210 ) 
 
 SECTION XI. 
 
 Occurrences 1666 to 1670 — George Whitehead, in 1670, taken 
 from a meeting in Grace-church street. — The mayor orders a 
 priest to read prayers and preach in Friends' meeting-house. — 
 Other meetings disturbed. — An order of court to prevent Friends 
 meeting at Horsiydown. — Proceedings thereupon. 
 
 Having in those particulars of the domestic history, 
 given by the author, travelled beyond the period of the 
 general narrative; we return to the account which he 
 gives of the sufferings of himself and his friend:^, after 
 the fire of London. 
 
 George Whitehead has passed over the interval be- 
 tween iC6G and 1G70, nearly without notice. His 
 work is, however, so much of a history of the Society, 
 in those eventful times, that it may not be improper to 
 supply a few particulars. 
 
 The operation of the act for suppressing conventicles, 
 passed in the year 1G64, expired in 1667 ; and although 
 the remaining laws under which the Quakers and other 
 dissenters had previously suffered, were sufficient to 
 keep up the practice of persecution, yet they were per- 
 mitted, during the years 1667 and 1668, to hold their 
 religious meetings with rather less disturbance than 
 heretofore. The extraordinary encouragement also 
 given by the Conventicle Act to wicked informers be- 
 ing withdrawn, those years were comparatively times 
 of ease ; and the Society, after all its sufferings, was 
 strengthened and encouraged. Many of its most ac- 
 tive members had, during the last few years, witnessed 
 a good confession, and had sealed with their blood the 
 cause in which they were engaged. Others not less 
 able or devoted, arose to fill tbe places of those who 
 were removed; Amongst those we may mention the 
 names of Robert Barclay and William Penn, the for-
 
 G. wniTEnEAD. 211 
 
 mer of whom in 1667, and (he latter in 1668, embraced 
 the principles of the despised Quakers ; esteeming the 
 reproach of Christ greater riches than all the honours 
 and treasures of the world. 
 
 The distresses of the country from the plague, fire, 
 and war, seemed to have had little if any etTect, in 
 softening men's minds towards those who dilfered from 
 them on religious matters, or in promoting even an ex- 
 ternal show of virtue. Licentiousness and extrava- 
 gance still pervaded the court; nor did the corruption 
 stop here — it pervaded alike the clergy and the repre- 
 sentatives of the people. Vice might be said preemi* 
 nently to reign, and it is not surprising therefore that 
 religion and virtue should sutler. 
 
 In the year 1670 the Conventicle Act was revived in 
 Parliament, and re-enacted with two additional clauses; 
 which were, " that if any justice of peace refuse to do 
 his duty in the execution of this act, he shall forfeit five 
 pounds ; and secondly, that all the cluuses of this act, 
 shall be construed most largely and beneficially for the 
 suppressing conventicles, and for the justification and 
 encouragement of all persons to be employed in the ex- 
 ecution of them." 
 
 George Whitehead observes, that the avowed object 
 of this act was " To prevent and suppress seditions con- 
 venticles ;" but the obvious design was, to force a gene- 
 ral conformity to the Liturgy and practice of the 
 Church of England. And the agents chielly employed 
 in the work, were a company of loose, idle, profligate, 
 and mercenary informers : by that law let loose to 
 seek honest people's ruin, by making great havoc and 
 spoil upon their goods. And these worthless creatures 
 often boasted to the poor conscientious sufTerers, that 
 they were servants to the ki\g a\d the church; and 
 that they would make them leave their conventicles, 
 and conform. 
 
 The informers were too often encouraged in their 
 proceedings by persecuting magistrates; and they were 
 much stimulated also by their own desire of gain :
 
 212 ME3I0IKS OF 
 
 being entitled to a third part of the fines on conviction, 
 for which the testimony of two of them, on oath, before 
 one magistrate, was sufficient. George Whitehead 
 justly observes, that "such partial prosecution, convic- 
 tion, and punishment, against free-born Englishmen, as 
 this act imposed, were expressly contrary to the great 
 charter, and to the common law and justice of Eng- 
 land, and destructive of their properties and birth- 
 right." 
 
 Whilst the proceedings of the government, in direct 
 opposition to the king's declaration on his return, could 
 not but excite some feelings of just indignation in the 
 minds of the sufferers; it is quite clear from their his- 
 tory, that they were never led into any political com- 
 binations or opposition to the government. Like the 
 early Christians, their only arms were prayers and 
 patience ; and their firm stand for liberty of conscience, 
 by meekly enduring whatever the support of it ex- 
 posed them to, at length obtained what, in all proba- 
 bility, more violent proceedings would have sought in 
 vain.* 
 
 * Neale very justly observes, in regard to the new Conventicle 
 Act, that " the wit of man could hardly invent any thing, short of 
 capital punishment, more cruel and inhuman." "It is evident," 
 he says, after repelling the imputation of seditious conduct on the 
 part of the dissenters, " that the act was levelled purely against 
 liberty of conscience, and was so severely execuled,*that there was 
 hardly a conventicle to be heard of all over England. Great num- 
 bers were prosecuted on this act, and many industrious families 
 reduced to poverty. 
 
 " The behaviour of the Quakers was very extraordinary, and 
 had something in it that looked like the spirit of martyrdom. They 
 met at the same place and hour as in times of liberty, and when 
 the officers came to seize them, none of them would stir ; they 
 went altogether to prison ; they staid there till they were dismiss- 
 ed ; for they would not petition to be set at liberty, nor pay the 
 fines set upon them, nor so mu^h as the prison fees. When they 
 were discharged they went to their meeting-house again as before ; 
 and when the doors were shut up by order, they assembled in great 
 numbers in the street before the doors, saying, they would not be 
 ashamed nor afraid to meet together in a peaceable manner to wor- 
 ship God ; but in imitation of the prophet Daniel, they would do 
 it more publicly because they were forbid. Some called this oh-
 
 O. WHITEHEAD. 213 
 
 Whilst the Society of Friends fully evinced their wil- 
 lingness to suffer, ratlier than violate their consciences, 
 they did not scruple to use legal means to avoid con- 
 viction, under the persecuting edict made against them ; 
 and to represent the extent and unreasonableness of 
 their sufferings, to the king and the government. This 
 will appear from the following statement, which George 
 Whitehead makes, of the proceedings which took place 
 subsequently to the passing of the last mentioned act 
 for suppressing conventicles. 
 
 On the fifth day of the 4th month, 1G70, our Friends 
 being met as usual in a peaceable manner, at their 
 meeting-house in Grace-church street, London ; and 
 George Whitehead being moved publicly to pray to 
 God, in time of prayer was laid hold on by some of the 
 soldiers, pulled away, and. haled out of the meeting; 
 as was also John Bolton, an ancient citizen, for declar- 
 ing the Truth to the people. They were both had to 
 the Exchange, and there kept six hours ; after which, 
 according to order, they appeared at Guild Hall, before 
 Sir Joseph Sheldon, &c. Whereupon George White- 
 head called for their accusers, to have them face to 
 face. 
 
 Some of the soldiers being called to give evidence, 
 George Whitehead warned them to take heed what 
 they swore ; and he also warned Joseph Sheldon, and 
 the rest with him, to do nothing but what they could 
 answer for before the great God, who would judge right- 
 eously : for, said he, " we apprehend that we are taken 
 contrary to law, even to this present act, viz. by sol- 
 
 Btinacy, others firmness; but by it they carried their point, the 
 government being weaty of contending against so much resolu- 
 tion." History of the Puritans, vol.ii. page 562. 
 
 It was soon after liie passing of this act, that the celebrated trial 
 of William Penn and William Mead took place, for meeting for 
 religious worship in Grace-church street, the doors of the meeting- 
 house bfing closed against them. Editor.
 
 214 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 diers, where there was no resistance made by any of 
 us ; we desire to be heard." 
 
 Joseph Sheldon said : " If you be illegally convicted, 
 you may make your appeal:" endeavouring to stop 
 George Whitehead from pleading. 
 
 George Whitehead. " 1 desire to be heard," &.c. But 
 being interrupted several times, he said : " I require 
 you in point of justice to hear me, being a free-born 
 Englishman," &.C., whereupon they did a little permit 
 him. 
 
 George Whitehead. " We would not have you that 
 are our judges, in the mean time to prejudice your own 
 consciences, by an illegal conviction ; nor to do any 
 thing but as you will answer the great God ; for we 
 have a tenderness to your consciences." 
 
 Joseph Sheldon. " Well, we must answer for what 
 we do : take you no care for that," &.c. 
 
 The witnesses being upon their oaths, one affirmed, 
 that George Whitehead was preaching or teaching 
 when they took him. 
 
 Joseph Sheldon commanded the witnesses to be gone 
 or depart. 
 
 George Whitehead. "- 1 desire the witnesses may stay 
 till I have answered." Bui Joseph Sheldon urged them 
 still to depart. 
 
 George Whitehead. " They have absolutely forsworn 
 themselves ; for 1 was not preaching nor teaching when 
 they took me." 
 
 A person that stood by the justice said : " You were 
 praying when they took you." 
 
 George Whitehead. " Take notice ; this man has 
 forsworn himself, in saying that 1 was preaching," &c. 
 Nevertheless the clerk wrote down, George Whitehead 
 an offender ; but what judgment was given by the jus- 
 tices against him or John Bolton, they did not hear, 
 cither of fine or imprisonment at that time. The Lord 
 was pleased sometimes to touch the consciences, even 
 of some of the magistrates and our adversaries, where- 
 by they were stopped in their proceedings, and pre-
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 215 
 
 vented from running us to the extreme severity and 
 penalties of the persecuting laws. 
 
 On the 26th day of the 4th month, 1670, being the 
 first day of the week, our Friends being again assem- 
 bled in their meeting place aforesaid, in While-hart 
 court, Sir Samuel Starling, then lord mayor, and some 
 others, having ordered a priest to be there, he read 
 common prayer and preached a sermon in the gallery; 
 seeming to preach up and excite to love, according to 
 these scriptures of Paul, Ephes. v. 2, and iv. 2, 15, &c. 
 The commendation of love, &c. being the priest's chief 
 subject ; but contrary thereto, in the time of his preach- 
 ing, the soldiers being present to guard him and disturb 
 us, were rude and abusive to divers of our Friends, for 
 speaking a few words to the priest, to show him how 
 contrary their actions were to his preaching ; though 
 he did not rebuke nor stop them from their rudeness 
 and violence to our Friends, women as well as men. 
 
 A great concourse of people were present at the 
 meeting ; many to attend the priest, and many out of 
 curiosity and novelty, to hear and see what work the 
 priest and his company would make ; for it seemed a 
 very strange thing, to see a minister of the Church of 
 England, stand up and read common prayer, say or 
 sing their service, and preach in a Quaker's meeting, 
 dtemed an unlawful conventicle ; and therein to preach 
 up love and charity, and at the same time to be attend- 
 ed and guarded with a company of soldiers, to appre- 
 hend and persecute the Quakers, for an unlawful meet- 
 ing or conventicle at the same time and place. 
 
 After sermon was ended, George Whitehead stood 
 up and preached the gospel of peace and love, to show 
 how contrary thereto persecution was, &c. Where- 
 upon the people present were quiet and still, and gave 
 audience ; and the meeting was in a peaceable posture 
 for a little time, until two rude fellows, with the sol- 
 diers following them, violently pulled the said George 
 down, and by their force pushed down some women 
 present, and carried him to the mayor's and kept him
 
 216 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 a while in his yard. His name and some false infor- 
 mation against hinn, being carried in to the mayor, he 
 quickly sent out a warrant to commit him to the comp- 
 ter, then in the gatehouse at Bishopsgate, for making a 
 disturbance, &.c. until he should find sureties or was 
 delivered by law ; and this without first calling in or 
 admitting George Whitehead to be heard in his own 
 defence. 
 
 But George Whitehead obtaining a sight of the war- 
 rant of commitment, desired to speak with the lord 
 mayor himself, which some of his officers made way 
 for; whereupon George Whitehead told the mayor, 
 that there was a mistake in the warrant, which was 
 that charge against him for making a disturbance, &.C. 
 for there was no such thing; he made no disturbance, 
 but contrariwise, quieted the people by seasonable 
 advice and counsel. To which the mayor said, he 
 would examine further into it after evening prayer ; 
 but in the mean time sent George Whitehead to the 
 compter at Bishopsgate, and in the evening sent for him 
 again ; and then said to George Whitehead : " Your 
 women have disturbed the minister ;" asking him fur- 
 ther : " Do they not disturb you ?" George Whitehead 
 answered : " That there was a concourse of people of 
 all sorts, many not being our Friends, who made a 
 noise ; but for our women, some did speak something 
 as they might judge it their duty ; and probably some 
 thought they might, seeing the priest's hearers did 
 speak ; the priest one sentence and they another, that 
 is, in their versicles; and when they cried. Lord have 
 mercy upon us, some of the women did cry, ' Woe to 
 you hypocrites.' " 
 
 After other discourse between George Whitehead 
 and the mayor, the constable and another with him 
 were sworn ; and all that (hey could testify was, that 
 he stood up and preached after their minister had end- 
 ed ; but what he preached they could not tell. The 
 mayor said : If the minister had done all, it was a con-
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 217 
 
 venticle, and 1 must fine you twenty pounds. And 
 then after he said, forty pounds. 
 
 George Whitehead said : " If I had preached sedition 
 or discord, against either the government or peace of 
 the nation, if that could be made appear against me, 1 
 might justly suffer by this law; being entitled, an act 
 to prevent and suppress seditious conventicles. But 
 seeing the witnesses cannot tell what I did preach, I 
 may signify the substance and tendency thereof, viz. a 
 necessity being laid upon me, woe had been unto me if 
 I had not preached the Gospel ; and it was no other 
 than the Gospel of peace and salvation by Christ Jesus, 
 that I preached ; to exalt the power of godliness, direct- 
 ing people thereunto in Christ, that they might not re- 
 main under empty and lifeless, or dead forms of profes- 
 sions," &c. 
 
 The mayor said : " I believe both you and others do 
 good, or have done good with your acting," &c. 
 
 Observation. " See then how evident it is, that what 
 we suffer is for doing good, and not for any sedition or 
 injury." 
 
 The mayor said : " Well, I must fine you forty pounds, 
 this being the second offence ; you were convicted be- 
 fore Sir Joseph Sheldon once before." 
 
 George Whitehead " Must I suffer for preaching the 
 Gospel of peace, as if 1 had been preaching sedition? 
 This is strange : doth the law make no difference ? 
 Besides, I was not convicted according to this law be- 
 fore justice Sheldon ; for it was there made appear, 
 that the witness forswore himself against me, as some 
 there that stood by testified ; for he swore that he took 
 me preaching, when many could testify, as some there 
 did affirm, that I was praying, and not at that time 
 preaching. 
 
 Mayor. " But were you on your knees with your hat 
 off, when they took you ?" 
 
 George Whitehead. " Yea, I was ; and the meeting was 
 in a reverent posture of prayer, the men with their hats 
 
 VOL. I. T
 
 218 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 ofF; and the soldiers pulled mc down when I was pray- 
 ing." 
 
 Mayor. " However, you were in a religious exercise," 
 &,c. 
 
 George Whitehead. " If praying to God must be ac- 
 counted a religious exercise not allowed by the Liturgy ; 
 yet I do not understand that praying is included in that 
 clause, which mentions preaching or teaching, &,c. As 
 where it is said : ' That every person who shall take 
 upon him to preach, or teach in any such meeting, as- 
 sembly, or conventicle, and shall thereof be convicted 
 as aforesaid, shall forfeit for every such first offence, 
 the sum of twenty pounds.' Now here is no praying 
 mentioned ; therefore 1 desire thy judgment, whether 
 preaching or teaching can be meant praying ?" 
 
 Mayor. " No, praying is not there mentioned ; how- 
 ever your conviction is recorded, you may make your 
 appeal." 
 
 George Whitehead. " To whom shall I make my ap- 
 peal, but to those that wrong me ?" 
 
 Mayor. " I must do according to law ; I must fine 
 you foity pounds." 
 
 George Whitehead. " Then I must be fined for preach- 
 ing the Gospel of peace, as if I had been preaching se- 
 dition : by this it is all a case, to preach sedition or the 
 Gospel of peace. But such a law as makes no differ- 
 ence between preaching sedition, and preaching the 
 Gospel of peace, I must deny as being both against rea- 
 son and against God. And God who judges righteous- 
 ly, and by whom actions are weighed, will judge be- 
 tween thee and us in this thing." 
 
 1 do not remember that the line threatened upon this 
 pretended conviction, was ever levied upon my goods ; 
 though divers others were to great excess. 
 
 At another time, on a 4th day of the week, 1 was 
 taken out of a meeting at White-hart court, by an oflS- 
 cer abetted by some others, and had before the said 
 Samuel Starling, lord mayor; where information was 
 given against me, that I was taken at such a meeting ;
 
 G. WniTEIIEAD. 219 
 
 and the question being : What did I do there ? or, what 
 manner of religious exercise had we I The officer an- 
 swered : He took mc preaching. The mayor would 
 needs have it, that it was a conventicle ; and our ex- 
 ercise of religion contrary, or not according to the Li- 
 turgy and practice of the Church of England. I an- 
 swered : " The witness does not prove that." He ques- 
 tioned if the Liturgy or common prayer was read among 
 us at that meeting? I told him, " he should not pro- 
 ceed against mc beyond his evidence : what says the 
 witness? we are not bound to accuse ourselves: the 
 witness does not say any such thing, as that we exercised 
 religion contrary to the Liturgy ; neither does he evi- 
 dence that we had not the Liturgy read among us ; he 
 can only say, he came into the meeting when I was 
 preaching and took me preaching ; but does not know 
 what I preached : so that he came into the meeting in 
 sermon time, and the Liturgy or common prayer used 
 not to be read in sermon time." This allegation I used 
 to him, because he deemed our meeting as a conventicle, 
 and unlawful if the common prayer was not read in it ; 
 and therefore I urged the evidence he had, which 
 did not prove the matter of fact against me, or any of 
 us who were at the said meeting ; so that he could not 
 reasonably proceed against us upon the evidence given ; 
 vet I told him our manner of relio;ious exercise was well 
 known. 
 
 I had some religious discourse with the said lord 
 mayor at some certain times, and endeavoured to pos- 
 sess him with better principles than those of persecu- 
 tion, &c. ; he being something of a professor of religion, 
 and sometimes touched with Truth, carried it more 
 fairly toward me than some other persecutors did, and 
 1 had some fairer quarter from him than from some 
 other magistrates; he was not one of the worst of per- 
 secutors in those days, though sometimes too much con- 
 cerned with others in that unchristian work of persecu- 
 tion. 
 
 On the 17th day of the 5th month, 1670, being the
 
 220 mi:moirs ok 
 
 first day of the week, Friends were kept without doors 
 in the street, near their nnecting house, at Peel in St 
 John's street, by the rude soldiers and a constable ; and 
 when two men spake a few words of truth and sober- 
 ness, the soldiers came and violently pulled them away ; 
 and as they came to take them, some were so violent 
 that they pushed divers, both men and women, with 
 their muskets, and tore part of Mary Wicks's clothes 
 and pinched her, bruising some of the men Friends with 
 their muskets ; whereupon one Friend cried out to the 
 constable, to keep the peace. 
 
 George Whitehead, near the latter end of the meet- 
 ing, being moved in much tenderness and brokennessof 
 spirit to call upon the Lord in prayer, the soldiers came 
 rudely, and violently pulled him away into the entry 
 among them. He told them of their wickedness and 
 incivility toward the women, and how below both sol- 
 diers and the spirit of men they acted, in abusing both 
 peaceable men and women as they had done. Pre- 
 sently after they pulled into their centry or guard, John 
 Scott and Samuel Richardson, and these three they 
 detained in their custody near three hours ; and then a 
 great company of soldiers guarded them into an ale 
 house near Clerkenwell, where two justices were, viz. 
 justice Foster and justice Coules, with a great company 
 of the king's horsemen or guard before the door. 
 
 As George Whitehead and his Friends were brought 
 to the door, he called out for justice, saying: " I am 
 glad we are come before the civil magistrates ; we de- 
 sire justice of you against the soldiers, who have kept 
 us out of our meeting in the street, and taken us con- 
 trary to law, even contrary to the present act of Par- 
 liament ; which requires not them to meddle with meet- 
 ings, unless where resistance is made, and upon certi- 
 ficate thereof, as the act mentions." 
 
 George Whitehead several times called for justice, 
 as they would answer to the great God of heaven and 
 earth, who will judge righteously between us. The 
 justice said : " You shall have justice." Whereupon a
 
 G. WHITEUEAD. 221 
 
 major on horseback said to the justice : " Sir, he will 
 preach till night if you will hear him." 
 
 The justice bowed with his hat off to the major, and 
 showed him great reverence and readiness to convict 
 the prisoners. The major and captain with others 
 alighted, and came in to see the two justices do their 
 work against the prisoners; and the red coats were 
 called, and many of them came in to bear witness against 
 us ; but George Whitehead excepted against them as 
 unlawful witnesses. Howbeit, contrary to law and 
 equity, they were put upon their oaths to witness against 
 the prisoners ; the justices not at all cautioning them 
 to take heed what they swore; but the major did. 
 What they informed against George Whitehead upon 
 oath was, that there were about three hundred persons 
 met in the street ; and that they took him preaching, 
 standing on a bulk or stall. 
 
 George H'hitthead answered : " That is not true ; I 
 was praying standing on the ground, but leaning on a 
 stall." 
 
 Soldiers. "We took him praying, but leaning on a 
 bulk." 
 
 George Whitehead. " See how confused and con- 
 tradictory they are in their evidence, for preaching and 
 praying are two things ; neither is praying mentioned 
 in that clause of the act, that is made against such as 
 take upon them to preach or teach." 
 
 Justice Foster. " You conjured them together to the 
 meeting." 
 
 G''nrge JVhilehtad. " That is not true ; for they were 
 gathered together before I came to the meeting." 
 
 Major. " He does as much as tell the justice he 
 lies." 
 
 George Whitehead. "I do not tell him he lies; but 
 I say again, it is false that I conjured the people toge- 
 ther." The major reproved the soldiers for going be- 
 yond his order, in going out into the street to take our 
 Friends ; saying : '• I gave you order only to keep them 
 out in the street, and you to keep centry at the door." 
 
 T 2
 
 222 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 Justice Boules. " Sir, but after you were gone, 1 or- 
 dered them to take those that preached, and I thank 
 them," &-C. 
 
 Justice Foster. " What a devil did you come to pray 
 for?" 
 
 George Whitehead. " Do these words become a ma- 
 gistrate 1 We did not meet to hear or sing ballads in 
 the street, nor do we meet at play-houses, nor at drink- 
 ing houses, to be drunk where the devil is served ; but 
 singly to serve and worship the living God, for which 
 we suffer. 
 
 " 1 accuse none ; but tell you what meetings we do 
 not come at nor own, and for what end we do meet," 
 &c. 
 
 The information the soldiers gave against John Scott 
 was, that they took him preaching ; which was, because 
 when they came with violence he desired them to be 
 moderate ; and what crime did he thereby commit 1 
 
 Their information against Samuel Richardson was, 
 that he laid violent hands upon one of their muskets ; 
 but this was utterly false, and denied by Samuel Rich- 
 ardson ; for he was standing peaceably, as he said, 
 with his hands in his pocket in the meeting. 
 
 Then the justices seeming to incline to convict the 
 prisoners upon the act against conventicles, George 
 Whitehead had a few words with them about i(, plead- 
 ing to prevent their severity. But justice Foster urg- 
 ing to liave them convicted, two warrants were made, 
 and the said George Whitehead, John Scott, and Sa- 
 muel R,ichardson were had to New-prison by the con- 
 stable and soldiers ; the troopers all the time of their 
 examination standing before the door v\'here they were. 
 It was observable, in their mittimus they missed set- 
 ting down George Whitehead's name ; and instead 
 thereof set down Arthur Gotten, who was a soldier that 
 helped to take them. 
 
 The next day after the commitment, the two justices 
 aforesaid came to the prison ; and when they had call- 
 ed George Whitehead into the room to them, they ask-
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 223 
 
 ed him his name and place, which he answered ; and 
 then they spoke to this purpose, that they had several 
 laws which they could proceed upon against him, and 
 particularly the statute of Oxford, the oath, &c. 
 
 The clerk having the oath of allegiance in his hand, 
 written with blanks left for the names, and a law book 
 before them. 
 
 George fVhitehead answered: " I desire you would 
 not go about to ensnare us, for the law was not made 
 to make men transgressors, but to punish them where 
 it finds such. We were apprehended and accused as 
 breakers of the late act against conventicles ; let us 
 first be tried upon that act, and cleared, and not have 
 new snares laid for us." 
 
 Justice Foster. " We will not lay snares for you ; if 
 you will pay your twenty pounds you shall be dis- 
 charged." 
 
 George Whitehead answered something about the 
 said act, as not justly chargeable thereby ; but they 
 quickly caused him to withdraw, and called in John 
 Scott, who had a long discourse with them ; they ac- 
 cused him for being an old soldier, and proffered him 
 the oath according to the Oxford act, made against 
 nonconformist ministers, &c. ; which he refusing to take, 
 they threatened to detain him in prison six months. After 
 which they again called in George Whitehead and Sa- 
 muel Richardson, and asked George Whitehead if he 
 would pay his twenty pounds? and if he would promise 
 to come no more at the meeting at Peel ? 
 
 George Whitehead answered : " 1 cannot pay any fine 
 for praying to God, or worshipping Him ; and as for 
 promising to come no more there, I am not my own, I 
 stand in the will of God : neither can I promise any 
 such thing, as to forbear coming to worship or pray to 
 God." 
 
 One of them asked Sanmel Richardson : " Will you 
 promise to come no more at meeting." 
 
 Sanmel Richardson. " I can promise no such thing." 
 
 So they having fined George Whitehead twenty
 
 224 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 pounds, as they said, but it was not levied, and Sannuel 
 Richardson live shillings, they discharged them. But 
 detained John Scott in prison six months, on the Oxford 
 act supposed ; though he was no noncoiiiormis.t minister 
 nor pretending to holy orders; and then what great 
 crime had they against liim, in his desiring moderation 
 from the rude and violent soldiers ? 
 
 We were sensible of the Lord's power and presence, 
 and that He stood by us and strengthened us, in bear- 
 ing our faithful Christian testimony for his name and 
 and worship, through all tliese exercises and persecu- 
 tions ; and I was sensible also, that the Lord our God 
 would plead our innocent cause, and that He often did 
 plead it, even in the consciences of many of our adver- 
 saries, prosecutors, and judges, and that sometimes 
 thev were hard put to it, to carry on their work against 
 us; and many times the Lord our God was pleased sO 
 to restrain the remainder of their wrath, as not to suffer 
 them to proceed to the execution thereof, nor of the 
 evils thereby designed : glory, honour, and dominion, 
 be to our God and to the Lamb, for ever and ever ! 
 
 In the 8th month, 1670, having been in the country 
 and returning (o London, I grew sick ; and my sick- 
 ness turning to an ague and fever, I became very weak 
 in body, so that for some weeks there appeared little 
 hopes of recovery ; and I remained in much weakness 
 until about the beginning of tlic second month, 1G71, 
 and part of that summer; and then it pleased the Lord 
 gradually to restore me to health and strength. 
 
 In that sickness, when most weak in l)ody, being well 
 prepared and freely resigned in the will of the Lord to 
 die, that I might ever be with Him ; I had an opening 
 or apprehension, that when 1 died my soul should be 
 received into the bosom of my Heavenly Father. 
 
 While I was in gieat weakness of body, I was divers 
 times told of the great and cruel suffering of our Friends 
 in Southwark, for meeting together at their usual meet- 
 ing-place at Horslydown ; how barbarously and cruelly 
 they were used, and grossly abused by soldiers and
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 225 
 
 armed men, both horse and foot ; being not only kept 
 out of their meeting-house in the street, but both men 
 and women were violently pushed with muskets and 
 other weapons, beaten, bruised, hurt, and wounded, 
 and much blood shed by the blows and wounds from 
 those inhuman, cruel, and barbarous persecutors and 
 brutish persons. The distressing accounts of these 
 and such barbarities against the innocent, did very 
 sorrowfully affect me; and 1 deeply sympathized in 
 spirit with the innocent suflferers, earnestly praying to 
 Almighty God for them, that He would preserve and 
 deliver them, and rebuke that persecuting spirit by 
 which they sulfered : earnest prayers, with tears, being 
 then the Church's very great concern, which the Lord 
 our God in his own time graciously heard and answer- 
 ed : blessed be his name ! 
 
 The barbarous persecution against our said meeting 
 in Southwark, was caused by the following order. 
 
 " At the Court at Whitehall, the 20th or July, 
 1670. 
 
 Present, 
 The Kings Most Excellent Majesty. 
 His Highness prince Rupert Earl of Anglesey 
 Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Earl of Bath 
 Lord Keeper Earl of Craven 
 
 Duke of Monmouth Lord Ashley 
 
 DukeofOrmond Mr. Treasurer 
 
 Earl of Ossory Mr. Vice-Chamberlain 
 
 Earl of Oxford Mr. secretary Trevor. 
 
 His majesty being informed, that there have been of 
 late, frequent conventicles and seditious meetings, under 
 pretence of religious worship, contrary to and in con- 
 tempt of the laws established, at a house or building at 
 Horslydown, adjoining to the artillery garden ; and that 
 the persons who there assemble behave themselves in 
 such a riotous and tumultuous manner, that if their 
 meetings be any longer endured, his majesty's peace and 
 the quiet of the government will thereby be manifestly
 
 226 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 endangered. For the prevention whereof it was this 
 day ordered, his majesty present in council and by his 
 express command, that Christopher W'ren, esq. surveyor 
 general of his majesty's works, do cause the said house 
 or building to be j)uHed down and demolished, in case 
 from henceforth any persons whatsoever, shall presume 
 to meet or hold any conventicle or unlawful assembly 
 therein, under colour of religious worship: and it was 
 further ordered by his majesty, that this signification of 
 this his royal pleasure, be affixed on the said building ; 
 to the end that the owners and occupiers of the same 
 may take notice thereof, to prevent and hinder such 
 meetings at their peril. 
 
 " JoiiiV Nicholas." 
 
 This order was both affixed on the door of the meet- 
 ing-house and soon after put in execution ; for they sent 
 and very much spoiled and pulled down the meeting- 
 house, and took away the boards, windows, benches, 
 and forms, and sold them. 
 
 It is observable, that there was no judicial trial or 
 legal proceeding in this hard case, but an order ground- 
 ed upon information of our meetings being conventicles, 
 seditious, riotous, and tumultuous ; which information 
 was altogether unjust, and notoriously false. 
 
 Howbeit, our innocent Friends, as obliged in con- 
 science toward Almighty God, resolved to keep their 
 solemn meetings in His dread and fear; not being ter- 
 rified therefrom by the rage and violence of their per- 
 secutors, but constantly resorted to their said meeting- 
 house on first days, while it was standing; and after it 
 was pulled down removed (he rubbish, that they might 
 meet on the ground where their own house stood ; 
 which they did, until by force haled away and barbar- 
 ously used by the soldiers. 
 
 On the 25th of the 7th month, 1670, Friends being 
 peaceably assembled at their usual meeting-place 
 aforesaid ; there came some musqueteers and haled 
 them forth into the street, where the troopers came and
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 227 
 
 rode in among them, in a violent, furious manner, beat- 
 ing and abusing both men and women, punching them 
 in the face and bodies with their carbines ; and soon 
 after the foot soldiers came and fell upon them also, 
 and beat both men and women in a cruel and outrage- 
 ous manner, also punching them on the feet with the 
 but-ends of their muskets, till they broke some of them; 
 also running the muzzle of their muskets violently 
 against the bodies of many ; and then a party of horse 
 came desperately and strove to ride over them ; but 
 the horses being more merciful or naturally more gen- 
 tle than the riders, would not go forward to tread the 
 people underfoot ; then the riders turning them, curbed 
 and reigned them to do mischief. 
 
 The number of those that were wounded and sorely 
 bruised this day, was above twenty persons. 
 
 On the 2nd day of the 8th mon(h, they being kept 
 out of their meeting-place aforesaid, there came a 
 party of foot and a party of horse, and laid on Friends 
 in a violent and cruel manner, knocking them with their 
 muskets and pikes, and the horsemen with their car- 
 bines, until the blood lay in the streets ; and so they 
 continued for some time, until they broke several pikes 
 and muskets and one carbine; and several were so 
 beaten and bruised that their lives were in danger. 
 They that were wounded and sorely bruised this day, 
 were above thirty persons. 
 
 On the 9th of the 8th month, the soldiers, horse and 
 foot, came to the meeting at the aforesaid place ; and 
 one of them having a shovel, threw dirt and mire upon 
 both men and women, in a shameful manner. After 
 him, both horse and foot furiously fell upon them; 
 striking and knocking down, without regard to age or 
 sex, in a very cruel manner, until they shed blood from 
 many. And when some of the inhabitants in pity took 
 them into their houses, to save their lives, the soldiers 
 forced open the doors and haled them out again into 
 the street, and plucked off their hats that they might 
 strike on their bare beads, insomuch that many had
 
 228 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 their heads broken in a grievous manner ; and thus they 
 continued for some time ; also tearing men and wo- 
 men's clothes off their backs, and haling women through 
 the mire by their horses' sides ; some of the foot sol- 
 diers using obscene expressions, and very indecent be- 
 haviour. A red coat soldier struck one woman Friend 
 twice on the body wiih his musket, and once on the 
 breast ; another flung dirt in her face, so that she mis- 
 carried, and hath never since been well through their 
 abuses ; whereby she did both lose her child, and her 
 own life was greatly endangered. A man Friend, after 
 he had sufTered by blows, was carried into the meeting- 
 place, where one demanded his money and endeavoured 
 to rifle his pockets, cursing and threatening he would 
 stab him, if he did not give it him ; again swearing 
 that lie would pistol him. 
 
 The number of those sorely bruised, and that had 
 of their blood shed that day, was above fifty persons. 
 
 And on the 10th day of the 8th month, 1G70, being 
 again kept out of their meeting-place, there came a 
 party of horse and foot ready to fall again violently 
 upon our Friends : but some constables for some little 
 time kept them off. Howbeit, at last they broke out 
 into a rage, and some of the foot with the but-ends of 
 their muskets, and the horsemen with great truncheons 
 and staves, did so furiously lay on and beat them who 
 were met, as if they would have killed all in the place ; 
 causing the blood to run down about the ears of many, 
 insomuch that above twenty persons then received sore 
 wounds and bruizes ; and one constable endeavouring 
 to stop them from shedding blood, and to keep the 
 peace, they fell upon him also and broke his head ; and 
 when they were reprehended for their cruelty, some 
 answered : " If you knew what orders we have, you 
 would say we dealt mercifully with you." 
 
 The substance of the foregoing account was present- 
 ed to the king and his council, and for a time there was 
 some cessation of these cruelties ; but afterward they 
 begun in the like manner, though not to the same de-
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 229 
 
 "gree, yet with great threatenings to be worse and 
 worse towards our Friends; which could not well be, 
 except they were directly to commit murder on the 
 place. 
 
 It was observed, that when the troopers and soldiers 
 have come and thus abused and wounded the innocent, 
 some have asked them, saying: " How can you deal 
 thus with a people that have love and good will to all 
 men, and make no resistance nor opposition ?" They 
 have replied : " We had rather and it would be better 
 for us, if they did resist and oppose :" as if they wanted 
 occasion to embrue their hands in innocent blood, and 
 have the lives and estates of honest people for a prey. 
 But as they never could get any such occasion against 
 us, so the Lord our most gracious God, for his own name 
 and Truth's sake, restrained the remainder of our ad- 
 versaries' wrath, frustrated their evil purposes, and 
 disappointed their mischievous designs. And in Him 
 we have trusted, who has helped and delivered us out 
 of many troubles. 
 
 VOL. 1. u
 
 ( 230 ) 
 
 SECTION XII. 
 
 Persecution continued with little abatement till the king's declara- 
 tion in 1672. — George Whitehead successfully applies to the 
 king for the liberation of about four hundred of his friends — He 
 travels with the king's Letters patent under the great seal, to 
 obtain the discharge of his friends in Essex, Suffolk, Huntingdon- 
 shire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Hertfordshire. He consults 
 Judge Hale on the release of Friends in the distant counties — 
 Procures their release bymeansof the sheriffs coming to London. 
 
 There was but little respite from persecution in 
 twelve years time, from the year IGGO to 1672, in 
 which was the last war at sea betwen the English and 
 Dutch; so that one judgment and calamity followed 
 another, plague, fire, and war, unto great depopulation 
 and devastation, showing God's heavy displeasure 
 against persecution and cruelty, and that spirit which 
 had been so highly at work against innocent, conscien- 
 tious, and honest people ; yet many persecutors were 
 so hardened, that they repented not of their cruelties, 
 and we have observed in our times, how suddenly the 
 Lord swept away many of that sort. 
 
 Howbeit by this time, 1671-2, the king did seem to 
 bethink himself, to take other measures than to continue 
 persecution to destroy his own subjects, not knowing 
 what issue the Dutch war against him might come to ; 
 insomuch that he published a declaration of indulgence 
 to dissenters, to suspend the execution of penal laws in 
 matter ecclesiastical, entitled, 
 
 " His majesty^s Declaration to all his loving subjects, 
 dated March 15,1671 2. Published'Jjy the advice of his 
 Privy Council.^'' The principal heads whereof are as fol- 
 lows^ viz. 
 
 " Our care and endeavours for the preservation of the
 
 MEMOIRS, <SiCC. 231 
 
 rights and interests of the church, have been sufficiently 
 manifested to the world, by the whole course of our 
 government since our happy restoration, and by the 
 many and frequent ways of coercion that we have used 
 for reducing all erring and dissenting persons, and for 
 composing the unhappy differences in matters of reli- 
 gion, which we found among our subjects upon our re- 
 turn, 
 
 " But it being evident, by the sad experience of 
 twelve years, that there is very little fruit of all those 
 forcible courses, we think ourselves obliged to make use 
 of that supreme power in ecclesiastical matters, which 
 is not only inherent in us, but hath been declared and 
 recognized to be so by several statutes and acts of par- 
 liament. 
 
 " And therefore we do now accordingly issue out 
 this our declaration, as well for the quieting the minds 
 of our good subjects in these points, for inviting stran- 
 gers in this juncture to come and live under us, and for 
 the better encouragement of all to a cheerful following 
 of their trades and callings ; from whence we hope, by 
 the blessing of God, to have many good and happy ad- 
 vantages to our government. 
 
 " And in the first place, we declare our express re- 
 solution, meaning, and intention to be, that the Church 
 of England be preserved, and remain entire in its doc- 
 trine, discipline, and government, as now it stands es- 
 tablished by law, &.C. 
 
 " We do in the next place declare our will and plea- 
 sure to be, that the execution of all. and all manner of 
 penal laws in matters ecclesiastical, against whatsoever 
 sort of Nonconformists or Recusants, be immediately 
 suspended, and they are hereby suspended. And all 
 judges, sherilfs, justices of the peace, &c. are to take 
 notice of it, and pay due obedience thereunto. 
 
 " And we do declare, that we shall from time to time 
 allow a sufficient number of places, as they shall be 
 desired, in ail parts of this our kingdom, for the use of 
 such as do not conform to the Church of England, to
 
 232 MKMOIRS OF 
 
 meet and assemble in, in order to their public worship 
 and devotion : which places shall be open and free to 
 all persons. 
 
 " To prevent such disorders and inconveniencies as 
 may happen by this our indulgence, if not duly regulat- 
 ed, and that they may be the better protected by the 
 civil magistrate, our express will and pleasure is, that 
 none of our subjects do presume to meet in any place, 
 until the same be allowed, and the teacher of that con- 
 gregation be approved by us. 
 
 "And — we -do further declare, that this our indul- 
 gence, as to the allowance of public places of worship, 
 and approbation of teachers, shall extend to all sorts of 
 non-conformists and recusants, except the recusants of 
 the Roman Catholic religion, to whom we shall in no 
 wise allow public places of worship, but only indulge 
 them their share in the common exemption from the 
 execution of the penal laws, and the exercise of their 
 worship in their private houses only. 
 
 " And if after this our clemency and indulgence, any 
 of our subjects shall presume to abuse this liberty, and 
 preach seditiously, die. — We will let them see we can 
 be as severe to punish such offenders — as we are indul- 
 gent to truly tender consciences."* 
 
 * There is every reason to believe, that this declaration of the 
 king was mainly, if not wholly designed to favour the advance- 
 ment of Popery and arbitrary {Government; and that if he had been 
 able to effect his purposes, both in regard to civil and ecclesiastical 
 matters, the dissenters would have been placed in even a worse sit- 
 uation than before. 
 
 It is not at all surprising, that a people so deeply oppressed as 
 the Quakers were at this time, and taking so little part in political 
 affairs, should see, in the declaration, the favour rallier than the 
 da7i"-er. Neal says : "The proteslant non-conformists had no opin- 
 ion of the dispensing power, and were not forward to accept of lib- 
 erty in that w.iy ; they were sensible the indulgence was not grant- 
 ed out of love to them, nor would continue any longer than it 
 would serve the interest of popery." Other motives, however, than 
 the fear of popery, appear to have influenced many of the non-con- 
 formists. They did not approve of a general toleration; but 
 " maintained tliat it was setting up altar against altar, and that 
 they should accept of nothing but a comprehennon" ia other words,
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 233 
 
 This declaration may, however, justly be said to re- 
 cord the result of king Charles's terrible experiment, 
 during twelve years, to compose matters of dillerence 
 in religion, and to reduce what he called erring and 
 dissenting persons, by " forcible courses ;" an experi- 
 ment made in direct opposition to the declaration from 
 Breda. The confession of the result which the decla- 
 ration contains, was, there is reason to believe, far from 
 being generally palatable; independently of the politi- 
 cal objection to the mode in which it was made. It gave, 
 nevertheless, a great check to persecution, and enabled 
 both the Quakers and other dissenters, to meet for re- 
 ligious worship without disturbance, and without being 
 a prey to the rapine of wicked informers. 
 
 There were, however, at this time, above four hun- 
 dred Friends in prison, for conscience' sake: some were 
 under sentence of banishment, some of premunire, and 
 some had endured ten or eleven years' imprisonment. 
 
 The state of these his suffering brethren deeply af- 
 fected the mind of George Whitehead; and chiedj 
 through his instrumentality the king was induced to dis- 
 charge most of them, to remit their fines, and release, 
 by his letters patent under the great seal, the estates of 
 those who had forfeited them under judgment of pre- 
 munire.* 
 
 Of his proceedings in this cause George Whitehead 
 has given an account, too curious and interesting to be 
 omitted or curtailed. 
 
 After speaking of his deep concern for his sulFering 
 Friends, he says : 
 
 that they shouhl he admitted to full liberty, and a sliare in church 
 preferiiients, and tliat others should not be toleraled. 'I'ho (Quakers 
 always desired the tree exercise of conscience for all, they had 
 therelbrc no objection to tiie king's declaration on the ground of 
 its univtrsality. Tiie Pfcsbyterians also generally concluded that it 
 was best to accept of the liberty granted them by the king; and 
 some, says Neal, " endeavoured to prove that it wus their duty to 
 do so bcciluse it was their natural right ; which no legislative pow- 
 er on earth had a right to deprive them, as long as they remained 
 dutiful subjects." — See JS'eal, vol. 2 page, 559. Set also Rajnn.
 
 ^34 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 I was moved to write a few lines to the king, request- 
 ing their liberty, which I intimated to our honest and 
 loving Friend, 'J'homas Moor, who was often willing to 
 move the king in behalf of our suffering Friends for 
 their liberty, the king having some respect to him ; for 
 he had an interest with the king and some of his coun- 
 cil, more than many others had ; and 1 desired him to 
 present my few lines to the king, which he carefully 
 did ; and a few days after, both he and myself had ac- 
 cess into the king's presence, and renewed our request 
 which I had made to him in my letter ; whereupon the 
 king granted us liberty to be heard on Friday, as he 
 said, before the council, being the next council day the 
 same week. 
 
 And then Thomas Moor, myself, and our friend 
 Thomas Green, attended at the council chamber at 
 Whitehall, and were all admitted before the king and 
 a full council, and being called to go up before the 
 king, who was at the upper end of the board, I had a 
 fair opportunity to open the caseof our sulfering Friends 
 as a conscientious people, chiefly to show the reason of 
 our not swearing allegiance to the king; that it was not 
 in any contempt or disrespect, cither to the king's per- 
 son or government, but singly as it was a matter of con- 
 science to us, not to swear at all, in any case, and that 
 in sincere obedience to Christ's command and Gospel 
 ministry, Mat. v. and James v. When 1 had openly and 
 more fully pleaded our suffering Friends' case, the 
 king gave this answer, viz. ' I'll pardon them,' &,c. 
 
 Whereupon Thomas Moor pleaded the innocency of 
 our Friends, that they needed no pardon, being innocent, 
 &.C. 'Vho king's own warrant in a few lines will dis- 
 charge them ; for, where the word of a king is, (here is 
 power, said Thomas Moor. The king answered : " O, 
 Mr. Moor, there arc persons as innocent as a child, or 
 children, new born, that arc pardoned, that is, from the 
 penalties of the law; you need not scruple a pardon," 
 &,c. The lord keeper added : " I have told them that 
 they cannot be legally discl^arged, but by a pardon
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 285 
 
 under the great seal." Then stood up Duke Lauder- 
 dale, and made his reflection upon what Thomas Moor 
 said, in this manner : 
 
 " May it please your majesty, I wonder that these 
 men should be no better counselled to accept of your 
 gracious pardon ; for if your majesty should by your 
 own private warrant release them out of prison, their 
 prosecutors may put them into prison again the next 
 day; and still their estates, forfeited to you upon pre- 
 munire, remain confiscate ; so that their persons and 
 estates cannot be safely discharged, without your ma- 
 jesty's pardon under the great seal." With which the 
 rest of the council concurred. 
 
 -. Whereuntol returned this answer, viz. " Jt is not 
 for us to prescribe, or dictate to the king and his coun- 
 cil, what methods to take for our Friends' discharge ; 
 they know best their own methods in point of law ; we 
 seek the end thereof, namely, the etlectual discharge of 
 our suffering Friends out of prison, that they may live 
 peaceably, and quietly enjoy their own," &.c. 
 
 Whereupon they all appeared satisfied, and the 
 king said : *' We!!, I'll pardon or discharge tliem," &.c. 
 
 After more discourse between the king and us, i look- 
 ed about on the council, and in tlie Lord's power thus 
 declared, viz. " 1 do not question but God at times 
 inclines your hearts totenderness towards the suflerers, 
 especially tliose for conscience' sake. O ! therefore 
 take notice thereof, and mind that tenderness, and that 
 wliich inclines your hearts to commiserate their condi- 
 tions, who have long groaned and lain under heavy 
 burdens, and sore oppressions," &c. 
 
 " As for our refusing the oath of allegiance, for w^hich 
 many sulfer in prisons, God doth bear us witness, yea, 
 God doth bear the sufiierers record, that it is not from 
 a disaffection to the king or government, but singly 
 for conscience' sake, because it is an oath;" concluding 
 with these words, " ' This is the fast the Lord requires, 
 to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go
 
 236 MEMOIBS OF 
 
 free.' " Being near the time of an appointed fast as I 
 remennber. 
 
 Pursuant to the king's promise of pardon, &c. the 
 following order was given. 
 
 " At the Court at Whitehall, the 8th of May, 
 1672. 
 
 " Whereas, his Majesty of his princely clemency, 
 was graciously pleased to direct, that letters should be 
 written from this board, to the sheriffs of the respective 
 counties and cities, and counties and towns, and coun- 
 ties within his majesty's kingdom of England, and do- 
 minion of Wales, requiring them to return perfect lists 
 and calenders of the names, time, and causes of com- 
 mitment of all such prisoners, called Quakers, as re- 
 main in their several gaols or prisons, which they ac- 
 cordingly did ; and the same were by order of his ma- 
 jesty in council, of the third instant, delivered into the 
 hands of the right honourable the lord keeper of the 
 great seal of England, who having considered thereof, 
 did this day return them again, together with his opin- 
 ion thereupon, asfolloweth, viz. 
 
 "The Returns that are made touching the prisoners, 
 in the several gaols, are of several kinds. 
 
 " 1. All such of them as are returned to be convict- 
 ed, to be transported, or to be convicted of a premu- 
 nire, upon whose convictions 1 suppose judgment was 
 given, are not legally to be discharged, but by his 
 maje^ty's pardon under the great seal. 
 
 " 2. All such that are returned to be in prison upon 
 writs of excommunicato capiendo, not mentioning the 
 cause, ought not to be discharged till the cause ap- 
 pears ; for if it be for tithes, legacies, defamations, or 
 other private interests, they ought not to be discharged 
 till the parties be satistied. 
 
 " 3. All those that are returned in prison for debt, or 
 upon exchequer process, or of any of the other courts 
 at Westminister, are not so discharged, till it be known
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 237 
 
 for what cause those processes issued, and those dehts 
 be discharged. 
 
 " 4. Those that are in prison for not paying their 
 fines, ought not to be discharged without paying their 
 fines, or a pardon. 
 
 " All the rest I conceive may be discharged. 
 
 " Which being this day taken into consideration, his 
 majesty was graciously pleased to declare, that he 
 would pardon all those persons called Quakers, now in 
 prison for any offence committed relating only to his 
 majesty, and not to the prejudice of any other person. 
 And it was thereupon ordered by his majesty in 
 council, that a list of the names of the Quakers in the 
 several prisons, together with the causes of their com- 
 mitment, be, and is herewith sent to his majesty's attor- 
 ney general, who is required and authorized to prepare 
 a bill for his majesty's royal signature, containing a 
 pardon to pass the great seal of England, for all such 
 to whom his majesty may legally grant the same. And 
 in case of any difficulty, that he attend the lord keep- 
 er, and receive his directions therein. 
 
 " Edward Walker." 
 
 Here follows a copy also of the king's warrant to the 
 attorney general. 
 
 " Our will and pleasure is, that you prepare a bill 
 fit for the royal signature, and to pass our great seal of 
 England, containing our gracious pardon unto &c. [the 
 place of the prisoners names.] Of all offencss, contempts 
 and misdemeanors by them, or an^' of them committed 
 before the twenty-first day of Juiy, 1G72, against the 
 several statutes made in the first, twenty-third, and 
 thirty-fifth years of the reign of queen Elizabeth ; in the 
 third year of the reign of our late royal grandfather, 
 king James; and in the sixteenth year of our reign — in 
 not coming to church and hearing Divine service; in 
 refusing to take the oath of allegiance and supremacy, 
 and frequenting or being present at seditious conventi-
 
 238 MKMOtKS OF 
 
 cles ; and of all premunires, judgments, convictions, 
 sentences of excommunication, and transportation there- 
 upon : and of all fines, amercements, pains, penalties, 
 and forfeitures whatsoever, thereby incurred, with res- 
 titution of lands and goods, and such other clauses, and 
 nonobstantes, as may render this our pardon most eflTec- 
 tual ; for which this shall be your warrant. 
 
 " Given at Court at Whitehall, the day of June, 
 
 in the twenty-fourth year of our reign. 
 
 " To our Attorney General." 
 
 After we had taken out the foregoing order and 
 warrant, our Friend Thomas Moor and I delivered the 
 same to the king's attorney general. Sir Heneage Finch. 
 Thomas again scrupling the word pardon to him, as he 
 had before to the king, &c. he took up Thomas some- 
 what short, telling him: " Mr, Moor, if youMl not ac- 
 cept of his majesty's pardon, I'll tell him you'll not 
 accept thereof." Then to pacify him, I told him, that 
 it was not our business to question, but accept what the 
 king had granted for relief of our suffering Friends, that 
 they might be released and discharged from their im- 
 prisonments and sufferings, &c. Whereupon he seem- 
 ed satisfied. 
 
 And further to inform and satisfy Thomas Moor in 
 the case, after we came out from the attorney general, 
 I got him to return again with me to his clerk, one 
 Sanders, an old man, who engrossed the king's letters 
 patent, or pardons, that he might inform Thomas Moor 
 of the nature and manner thereof, which he very fairly 
 did ; whereupon Thomas said, now it begins to have 
 some shape, &c. And then was better satisfied, as bet- 
 ter understanding the nature of that instrument than 
 before. 
 
 His scruples or objections against the word pardon, 
 or its being necessary to our suffering Friends, were 
 upon these tender points. 
 
 1. That they being innocent persons, needed no par- 
 don, as criminals do.
 
 G. WniTEIlEAU. 239 
 
 2. That their testimony for Christ Jesus allowed of 
 no pardon ; neither indeed can we allow, or accept of 
 any man's pardon in that case, singly considered ; we 
 cannot give away the cause of Christ, or our sincere 
 obedience to llini, as any offence or crime, needing any 
 pardon or forgiveness from men ; nor does Christ re- 
 quire us to ask it of Him, in that wherein we truly 
 obey Uim, but accepts and approves of us therein. 
 
 But ihen on the other hand, we must reasonably 
 allow of this distinction ; that wherein we, or our 
 Friends were judged or condemned by human laws, and 
 the ministers thereof, unto imprisonments, fines, for- 
 feitures, premunircs, confiscation of estates to the king, 
 and power given him to banish us, and thereby we 
 made debtors to him. The king has power to remit, 
 pardon, or forgive what the law has made a debt to 
 him, as well as any creditor has power to forgive a 
 debt owing him ; and so to pardon and release his deb- 
 tor out of prison. 
 
 The case is plain, and the distinction evident. 
 
 Neither pope, priest, nor prince can acquit or par- 
 don men in the sight of God, for offences against Him ; 
 but the king may forgive debts owing by law to him, 
 and release and re-convey his subjects' estates by law 
 forfeit to him, or else he has less power than any of 
 them. An earthly king cannot pardon a guilty con- 
 science before God; but he can forgive debts owing 
 him, and release estates forfeit to him, as well as per- 
 sons who are within his power to release : good con- 
 science and well-doing need no pardon, but deserve 
 praise. 
 
 Besides in this case of our premunired Friends, if 
 the king had not reconveyed their estates, as he did, by 
 his letters patents, under the great seal of England, 
 from him and his heirs, to them and their heirs, they 
 had remained forfeit, and liable to future claims, and 
 the proper owners to be dispossessed thereof; and 
 therefore the report and counsel of the lord keeper. 
 Sir Orlando Bridgman, to the king, in our PViends'
 
 240 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 case, before related, was both legal and safe for their 
 discharge ; being also recorded in the several offices, 
 where patents and pardons are kept upon record, to 
 have recourse to in cases of necessity. 
 
 The attorney general ordered his principal clerk 
 
 Nicolls, to draw up the said bill, to contain the 
 
 king's letters patents, for a full discharge and release of 
 our suffering Friends from their imprisonments, sen- 
 tence of banishment, fines, forfeitures, premunire, &.c. 
 which when he had done, I got Ellis Hooks, our writer, 
 to draw out four or five fair copies thereof for expe- 
 dition, to be passed and entered and remain upon re- 
 cord, in the several offices which the same was to pass 
 through ; as the privy seal, the signet, the patent, and 
 hannaper offices, &c. 
 
 And understanding that, because of the great num- 
 ber in the patent, great fees would be required in most 
 of those offices, except the lord keeper's, who had pro- 
 mised to remit his fee, and that he would ask none of 
 us; which was a kindness, for there being above four 
 hundred names of the sufferers, in one and the same 
 instrument, to be discharged ; we understood they would 
 demand a great fee for each person, because, as wc 
 heard, it would cost one single person twenty or thirty 
 pounds charge in fees, to get a patenter pardon through 
 all these offices, to pass under the great seal of Eng- 
 land : insomuch that we were constrained to make fur- 
 ther application to the king, to remit, or abate, the 
 great fees, &.c. Whereupon the king gave order, ac- 
 cording to our request, as followeth. 
 
 Locus SiGILLI. 
 
 His majesty is pleased to command, that it be signi- 
 fied as his pleasure to the respective offices and sealers, 
 where the pardon to the Quakers is to pass, that the 
 pardon though comprehending great numbers of per- 
 sons, do yet pass as one pardon, and pay but as one. 
 
 Arlington. 
 At the Court at Whitehall, 
 the 13th of Sept. 1G72.
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 241 
 
 Though we had this warrant from tlie king, yet we 
 had trouble from sonne of the covetous clerks, who did 
 strive hard to exact upon us. 
 
 When the instrument for discharge of the prisoners 
 was granted to our Friends, there being other dissenters 
 besides Quakers, in some prisons, as Baptists, Presbyte- 
 rians, and Independents, some of their solicitors, especi- 
 ally one William Carter, seeing what way we had made 
 with the king, for our Friends' release, desired their 
 friends in prison might be discharged with ours, and 
 have their names in the same instrument ; and earnestly 
 requested my advice or assistance, which I was very 
 willing to give in compassion to them ; and accordingly, 
 I advised them to petition the king, with the names of 
 the prisoners in it, for his warrant, to have them insert- 
 ed in the same patent with the Quakers, which accord- 
 ingly they did petition for, and obtain. 
 
 So that there are a few names of other dissenters, 
 who were prisoners in * Bedfordshire, Kent, and Wilt- 
 shire, as I remember, in the same catalogue and instru- 
 ment with our Friends, and released thereby : which I 
 was also very glad of, that they partook of the same 
 benefit, through our industry. Our being of diflferent 
 judgments and societies, did not abate my compassion 
 or charity, even towards those who have been my 
 opposcrs in some cases. Blessed be the Lord my God, 
 who is the Father and Fountain of mercies, whose love 
 and mercies in Christ Jesus to us, should oblige us to 
 be merciful and kind one to another, we being required 
 to love mercy, as well as to do justly, and to walk hum- 
 bly with the Lord our God. 
 
 After the king had signed a copy of the said instru- 
 ment, on several skins of parchment, and we had got it 
 engrossed aforehand for expedition, in the patent office, 
 in chancery hand, as is usual, and had then got it pass- 
 
 * Amongst the names, I was glad to recognize that of the jusUy 
 esteemed author of the Pilgrim's Progrcsi, John Bunjan. 
 
 Editor. 
 VOL. I. T
 
 242 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 ed under the great seal of England, there being eleven 
 skins of vellum in chancery hand, it was swelled to 
 that bigness, by reason the names of above four hun- 
 dred persons were repeated eleven times over in it, 
 that Ellis Hooks, and I, and some other Friends, were 
 hard put to it and troubled, to find out a way or means 
 to have it dispensed to all the prisons throughout Eng- 
 land and Wales, where our Friends were confined ; that 
 they might be released in due time, and not be too long 
 detained under confinement, as many had been ; espe- 
 cially since with great industry we had obtained their 
 discharge. 
 
 Howbeit we could not suddenly, nor easily find out 
 an expedient sufficient, nor extensive enough to release 
 all our Friends, prisoners in England and Wales, from 
 east to west, and from south to north. 
 
 The best expedient I could at first pitch upon, was, 
 to get two duplicates of the original instrument, pre- 
 pared, and passed under the great seal, as the first was, 
 which I got done very shortly ; and then sent messen- 
 gers on purpose with them several ways, to the sherifl^ 
 and gaolers ; as into Sussex, Bucks, Oxford, Warwick, 
 and Stafford, where our Friends had suffered long in 
 their gaols, that they might be forthwith discharged out 
 of prison ; which accordingly was done, when the king's 
 discharge under the great seal, was shown to the res- 
 pective sheriffs and officers concerned, by our Friends, 
 the messengers, sent on purpose to see our dear Friends 
 released out of their long confinements. 
 
 And although at that time, I had been in long and 
 great labours and solicitation, for the liberty of our op- 
 pressed Friends in prisons, and also thereby sometimes 
 weakened and impaired in my health and strength ; 
 yet I was willing to undertake a journey into Essex, 
 Suffolk, Norfolk, and Hertfordshire ; to see our Friends 
 released out of the gaols in those counties, as also in 
 Huntingdon and Cambridge. 
 
 And Edward Man and William Gosnell of London, 
 were willing to accompany me that journey : so having
 
 C. WHITEHEAD. 243 
 
 the original patent, under the G;reat seal, we all took 
 horse early, and got to Chelmsford that day, and lodg- 
 ed at the inn by the prison that night ; and the next 
 day, the quarter sessions being to be held in that town, 
 for the county of Essex ; we went in the morning to 
 several justices of peace, where they were together in 
 another inn of the town. When we came before them, 
 1 gently told them our errand, and what was the intent 
 of our coming there; and producing the king's letters 
 patents, showed Ihem what names of our Friends were 
 in it, who then were prisoners in Chelmsford prison, 
 and how in it they were discharged : they seeming 
 somewhat surprised at the sight of such a great instru- 
 ment, under the great seal of England, and that in fa- 
 vour of so many Quakers, and some of them having no 
 good-will to us, seemed somewhat disgusted at our hats ; 
 however I friendly told them, I hope they would allow 
 of the discharge, and release our Friends out of prison. 
 So after they had it into court, they ordered our Friends 
 who were in that prison, to be released. 
 
 So we proceeded forward in our journey towards Ed- 
 munds-Bury in SulTolk, in order to reach the quarter 
 sessions there ; which began the beginning of the week 
 following the other in Essex ; being about two or three 
 days between each session, us 1 remember. The jus- 
 tices in Sutlblk carried pretty fair towards us, and after 
 viewing the king's discharge in court, seemed allected 
 with it ; but it so happenetl that all our Friends' names 
 then in that prison, who were intended in the king's 
 grant, were not in the said discharge, though their case 
 was included, being the case of many others therein. 
 
 We could not suppose where the omission had hap- 
 pened, unless in the sheritl's return of the names and 
 cases of Quakers in prison, whicli the king ordered. 
 The under-sherirt'took it somewhat hard, that we should 
 suspect him for such omission ; however I pressed the 
 justices to release those Friends out of prison, whose 
 names were omitted, seeing their case came under the
 
 244 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 king's clemency, and they had right to their liberty as 
 well as the rest, in point of justice : so their liberty was 
 obtained, the justices not opposing but allowing thereof. 
 
 At that time while we were in Edmunds-Bury, 1 pro- 
 videntially and very opportunely met with the under- 
 sheriff for Huntingdonshire and Cambridgeshire, who 
 was a very fair, civil man ; and showed him the king's 
 patent, and the names of our Friends in it who then 
 were prisoners in those two counties ; and I desired 
 him to see them delivered out of prison, in both coun- 
 ties ; which he was very ready to undertake, and ho- 
 nestly performed, so far as ever I could hear. 
 
 From Bury we travelled into Norfolk, and to Nor- 
 wich ; and there meeting with the high-sheritf, got our 
 Friends released, who were prisoners and named in the 
 king's patent to be discharged. 
 
 Wc returned to Hertford in two days' time, before 
 the quarter sessions there ended ; and Henry Stout 
 producing the said patent, the magistrates released those 
 Friends, prisoners, that were concerned there. 
 
 In two weeks time we performed that journey and 
 service for our suffering Friends, in the said counties of 
 Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Norwich, Huntingdon, Cam- 
 bridge, and Hertford. 
 
 When we were returned to London, we were yet 
 more concerned for our suffering Friends in the more 
 remote counties and prisons ; namely, those in the nor- 
 thern and western parts of England, and also in Wales ; 
 for it was a difficult point and tedious undertaking, to 
 send messengers into all those remote counties and 
 places where many Friends were prisoner?, with only 
 three such great instruments under the great seal of 
 I^ngland, as that original which we carried into Suf- 
 folk and Norfolk, and the two duplicates, which other 
 Friends carried about into the other counties before 
 mentioned. The patent we carried was so big and 
 cumbersome, in a leathern case and tin box, and great 
 seal to it, that Edward Man was so cumbered with
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 245 
 
 carrying it, hanging by his side, that he was fain to tie 
 it across the horse's back behind him. 
 
 Now being sensible of the difliculty and delay it would 
 be, to dispense the same to the several counties and 
 gaols throughout England and Wales; and what a hard 
 matter it would be to move the king again for any in- 
 strument, pursuant to his pardon already granted and 
 confirmed, for their more speedy deliverance out of pri- 
 sons so remote, either by proclamation or warrant from 
 some of his privy council, or the secretary of state, or 
 attorney general, or otherwise. And considering the 
 great number of names and places mentioned in the 
 said pardon, we did not then see how we could accep- 
 tably move for such an instrun^ent or expedient. Be- 
 sides, 1 having had so much wearisome toil and solicita- 
 tion, for what we had already obtained for Friends' re- 
 leasement ; the labour and difficulties considered, I was 
 minded to acquaint judge Hale, who was then chief 
 justice, therewith, to see what he would say to it ; if he 
 could put us in a way to get our Friends released, who 
 were in such remote prisons as before mentioned. 
 
 Whereupon 1 went to judge Hale's house at Acton, 
 and our Friend Ellis Hooks with me ; where we met 
 with the judge at home, and I intimated our case and 
 difficulty to him ; which he fairlj^ heard, and viewed 
 over a copy of the king's pardon or letters patents, so 
 termed. How to have the same dispensed, for the 
 speedy release of our Friends throughout England and 
 Wales, was our difliculty ; and so many as the king had 
 given his grant for their discharge under the great seal, 
 we desired might be delivered out of prison before win- 
 ter, which was then approaching ; and considering, as 
 1 told him, that many of our Friends had lain long un- 
 der strait confinements, it might be their death if they 
 were detained nuich longer, especially in the winter 
 season. 
 
 'J'he judge appearing very serious and intent upon 
 the matter, told us, that if they would remove them- 
 selves by halxas corpus, and come before him at the
 
 246 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 king's bench : " I will release them," said he ; that is, 
 upon the king's pardon. I then signified to him, that 
 would be such a hardship and hazard as we durst not 
 put them upon ; because of the remoteness of the coun- 
 ties in the north, &c. And divers prisoners' healths 
 were so impaired by their long and hard confinements, 
 that it might endanger tlieir lives to remove them up 
 to London, being one or two hundred miles or more; 
 also many were much disabled and made poor by their 
 sufTeriiigs and imprisonments, that the charge of such 
 removal would be so great that it would be too heavy 
 for them. 
 
 The judge then proposed something of an instrument 
 from the attorney general : though it was not his place 
 to give us counsel, as he said, yet he appeared willing 
 to help our sudcring Friends if he could, by proposing 
 such expedients as he could then think of. His com- 
 passion and good will towards us, I could not but take 
 notice of; and we parted kindly. 
 
 Yet hitherto we were at a loss, how to expedite our 
 poor suffering Friends out of the remote prisons : by all 
 the advice given to us, we could not get all our Friends 
 actually delivered out of the gaols near so soon as 1 de- 
 sired. 
 
 Howbeit, the Michaelmas term, as it is called, being 
 then very near, and the under sheriffs coming out of the 
 several remote counties to the term ; I told Ellis Hooks 
 we might take the great patent, and show to the sheriffs 
 at their inns and ofKces, that they might draw out libe- 
 rates and send to the gaols in their respective counties, 
 to set our Friends at liberty. 
 
 We went to the sheriff of Yorkshire, who was an an- 
 cient man ; and 1 showed him the patent and the 
 names of the Friends who were prisoners in their coun- 
 ty, and castle of York, and those principal clauses for 
 their discharge; which he readily assented to, and bid 
 us give him a copy thereof, and he would draw up and 
 send a liberate to the gaoler for their release; which 
 accordingly we did, and he performed.
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 247 
 
 I was (hereby farther informed how wc might hasten 
 and dispatch our Friends' release, in other remote coun- 
 ties. 
 
 Whereupon I drew up an exact form of a liberate, 
 agreeable to the king's patent, briefly comprehending 
 the heads thereof which concerned the prisoners' dis- 
 charge, and gave it Ellis Hooks, to transcribe so many 
 copies thereof as we needed for the remaining remote 
 counties, where our Friends were not set at liberty ; 
 with advice to him to insert the prisoners' names in each 
 liberate respectively appertaining to the same county ; 
 as those in Montgomeryshire prison in a distinct war- 
 rant or liberate, for the sheriflTof that county ; and in 
 like manner for the other counties and prisons in Wales, 
 where Friends were detained. And the like particular 
 warrants respectively, for the sheritFs of Cornwall, De- 
 von, Dorset, Somerset, Cumberland, Durham, Lanca- 
 shire, and for the rest of the counties, where Friends 
 were not released out of prisons, I got liberates ready 
 prepared for the shcritFs severally to sign and seal. 
 
 Ellis Hooks and I went to the sheritis severally, at 
 their inns and otfices, and showed them the king's pa- 
 tent with the liberates, that they might see how agree- 
 able they were ; and they approved thereof, and readi- 
 ly signed and sealed each liberate ; being a warrant to 
 each gaoler, to set our Friends at liberty out of gaol in 
 each county where they had been detained, as many 
 of them had been for a long time; so that at last, 
 through much labour, care, and diligence, the difficulty 
 we had been under came to be removed, that is, the 
 setting at liberty our dear Friends, by virtue of the 
 king's letters patent, who were prisoners in the remote 
 counties. 
 
 And 1 do in deep humility, tenderness of spirit, and 
 with a thankful heart, retain the remembrance how 
 the Lord our God helped and enabled me, to go through 
 that great care and diligence, in solicitations for the 
 liberty of my dear suffering Friends and brethren ; and 
 though I laboured for the same near six months toge-
 
 248 MEMOIRS, &C. 
 
 ther before it was fully effected, the Lord gave me such 
 great encouragement, peace, and comfort, in my daily 
 endeavours for them ; and my love towards them was 
 such as made the same more easy to me ; in all which 
 I still have great satisfaction and peace, which remains 
 with me, in Christ Jesus my Lord and my God. I bless 
 his name and power which upheld and strengthened 
 me : let Him have the glory, praise, and dominion for 
 ever ! saith my soul. 
 
 END or VOLUME 1.
 
 MEMOIRS 
 
 OP 
 
 GEORGE WHITEHEAD; 
 
 A MimSTER OF THE GOSPEL 
 
 IN THE 
 
 SOCIETY OF FRIENDS: 
 
 BEING THE SUBSTANCE 
 
 Of the 
 
 ACCOUNT OF HIS LIFE, 
 
 WRITTEN BY HIMSELF, 
 
 And published after his decease, in the year 1725, 
 
 r 
 
 UNDER TUE TITLE OF 
 WITH 
 
 AiN APPENDIX, 
 
 CONTAINING A SELECTION FROM HIS OTHER WORKS. 
 
 ALSO 
 INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 By SAMUEL TUKE. 
 
 IN TWO VOLS.— VOL. 11. 
 
 "Ifyo had known what this nieaneth, 1 will Jiave mercy and not 
 sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless." 
 
 NATHAN KITE— 64 WALNUT STREET. 
 
 1832.
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 OF 
 
 VOLUME THE SECOND. 
 
 SECTION XIII. 
 The parliament express to the king their dissatisfaction with 
 his declaration.— Persecution renewed in 1673. — The case of 
 Friends presented to the king in 1679. — George Whitehead and 
 T. Burr imprisoned in Norwich in 1680, and proceedings of the 
 quarter sessions — Their manly and Christian defence on their 
 trial. 9 
 
 SECTION XIV. 
 
 George Whitehead and Thomas Burr re-conveyed to prison — 
 released at the next quarter sessions. — Distinction between the re- 
 fusal of Friends to take the oath and that of the Papists. — Change 
 in the sentiments of parliament respecting the persecution of dis- 
 se ting protestants. — Bills for the relief of dissenters. — Character 
 of informers. — Petition to the king. — A discourse with him. — G. 
 "Whitehead labours in the ministry and shares in the sufferings of 
 his Friends. 37 
 
 SECTION XV. 
 
 Sufferings of Friends confined in Norwich, and endeavours for 
 their release. — Persecution very severe. — G. Whitehead suffers by 
 severe distraints in 1683 — Sufferings of Friends in London, and 
 George Whitehead imprisoned in Newgate, 1684. 65 
 
 SECTION XVI. 
 
 Suffering state of the Society at the death of Charles II Re- 
 
 prewentation of it by an interview with king James 11. and address 
 to him. — List of the sufferers. — Second interview with the king, 
 and full representation of tiie Quakers' case addressed to him and 
 to the parliament. — The king grants a general warrant for the re- 
 lease of the prisoners. — Commission granted on George White- 
 head's application to the king to inquire into the dishonest practices 
 of the informers. — Their suppression. — One of them in distress ap- 
 plies to George Whitehead, and is relieved by him. 82 
 
 SECTION XVII. 
 The stale of Society in other parts of the nation. — Two meeting
 
 12 CONTENTS 
 
 houses seized and used by the soldiers. — Application to king James 
 respecting this and other cases of suffering. 99 
 
 SECTION XVIII. 
 Proceedings in the reign of William and Mary — Respecting the 
 act of toleration. — The case of Friends suffering for contempts, &c. 
 — The obtaining of an act for the admission of the solemn affirma- 
 tion of Friends instead of an oath. 113 
 
 SECTION XIX. 
 Brief notice of George Whitehead's further services. 142 
 
 Appendix. .....••• • 149 
 
 A Christian Epistle to Friends in general. . . . 151 
 
 The people called Quakers truly represented, and vindicated 
 from some mistakes in the Lower House of Convocation, Sec. 
 &c. 165 
 
 The Christian Doctrine and Society of the people called Qua- 
 kers, &,c. &c. 187
 
 MEMOIRS, &ic. 
 
 SECTION XIII. 
 
 The Parliament express to the king their dissatisfaction with his 
 declaration. — Persecution renewed in 1673. — The case of Friends 
 presented to the king in 1679. — George Whitehead and T. Burr 
 imprisoned in Norwich in 1680, and proceedings of the quarter 
 sessions. — Their manly and Christian defence on their trial. 
 
 The liberty granted to tender consciences by king 
 Charles the Second's declaration, 1671-2, held not long ; 
 for the Parliament being not reconciled to the liberty 
 granted and allowed thereby, look occasion against the 
 said declaration, and moved the king to cancel and 
 make it void ; alleging that thereby he extended his 
 prerogative too far, or advanced it above the law, by 
 suspending the execution of penal laws in matters eccle- 
 siastical; suggesting what dangerous consequence it 
 might be of, to have such a precedent remaining. But 
 they took no care of Christ's prerogative and govern- 
 ment over the consciences of his subjects: they must 
 be exposed to severe sufferings, oppressions, and cruel- 
 ty, for conscience' sake towards Him, and for obeying 
 his doctrine, chiefly in refusing to swear at all, and for 
 solemnly meeting together in his name and spiritual 
 worship. 
 
 If the Parliament and all parties who were displeas- 
 ed with the king's said declaration, because not an act 
 of Parliament but of prerogative, had been so generous 
 and noble as to have allowed a general liberty to tender 
 consciences, or freedom from persecution, they might 
 
 VOL. II. A
 
 10 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 easily have turned the substance or effect of the king's 
 said declaration into an act of Parliament. And no 
 doubt the king would readily have signed and confirm- 
 ed the same, seeing he had so often not only publicly 
 promised liberty to tender consciences, but also in his 
 declaration from Breda positively and voluntarily pro- 
 mised, " That no man shall be disquieted or called in 
 question, for differences in opinion in matters of religion, 
 which do not disturb the peace of the kingdom ; and 
 that we shall be ready to consent to such an act of Par- 
 liament, as upon mature deliberation shall be offered to 
 us for the full granting that indulgence." 
 
 And moreover, in the king's declaration concerning 
 ecclesiastical affiiirs, dated October the 25th, 16G0, it 
 is again declared : " In a word, we do again renew what 
 we have formerly said in our declaration from Breda, 
 for the liberty of tender consciences : that no man shall 
 be disquieted or called in question, for differences in 
 opinion in matters of religion, which do not disturb the 
 peace of the kingdom, &.c." 
 
 And in the same declaration it is further said : " Our 
 present consideration and work is, to gratify the private 
 consciences of those who are grieved with the use of 
 ceremonies, by indulging to, and dispensing with, the 
 omitting these ceremonies." 
 
 And in the king's speech to both houses of Parlia- 
 ment, the 8th of July, IGGl : "It 's to put myself in 
 mind as well as you, that I so often (I think so often as 
 I come to you) mention to you my declaration from 
 Breda ; and let me put you in mind of another declara- 
 tion published by yourselves about the same time, and 
 which I am persuaded made mine the more effectual. 
 An honest, generous, and Christian declaration, signed 
 by the most eminent persons who had been the most 
 eminent sufferers ; in which you renounced all former 
 animosities, and the memory of all former unkindnesses. 
 And, my lords and gentlemen, let it be in no man's 
 power, to charge me or you with the breach of our 
 words or promises, which can never be a good ingredient
 
 G. WHITEnEAD. 11 
 
 to our future security." And in the chancellor's speech 
 to both houses, May the 8th : " lie told you hut now, 
 (meaning the king,) that he valued himself much upon 
 keeping his word, upon performing all that he pro- 
 miseth to his people."* 
 
 Now upon the whole it is observable, that when the 
 king made and so often repeated those promises of li- 
 berty to tender consciences, there appeared no design of 
 persecution, or intention thereof, to violate his promises, 
 but the contrary, but how easy it might have been, to 
 have established that liberty by a law : but too many sel- 
 fish and partial men were otherwise minded ; for before 
 the reign of king Charles the Second was expired, some 
 of these who were against his declaration aforesaid, 
 would have had an " act of comprehension," to have in- 
 cluded in the Church of England some parties of dis- 
 senters, as Presbyterians and such like, with allowances, 
 exceptions, or limitations, so as not to be made conform- 
 able to the said Church, in all her articles, ceremonies, 
 and formalities, but to have been dispensed with, or al- 
 lowed in some things not esteemed essential ; so as 
 they might be comprehended or incorporated into one 
 with the Church of England, exclusive of all other dis- 
 senters, more conscientious than themselves were in 
 that point, since they could not come so near in a con- 
 formity or compliance as themselves ; and therefore the 
 most conscientious dissenters of all sorts, excluded the 
 comprehension and not allowed a general liberty to ex- 
 ercise their religion and conscience, must still be ex- 
 posed to persecution, sulFcring, and ruin, under the 
 penal laws, if that partial project and comprehension 
 had taken elfect, by a church made up of presbytery 
 and episcopacy : Oh then, who should have been sutFer- 
 
 * George Whitehead's loyalty, and faith in the king's word ap- 
 pear to have been incxting-uisliabie. 
 
 It is probable that his acquaintance with William Penn, who ap- 
 pears to have taken the most favourable view of the king's conduct 
 as well as that of the duke of York, had considerable influence on 
 George Whitehead. Editor.
 
 12 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 ed to stand before them, without conformity to such 
 elders and bishops! This partial project and selfish 
 design divers of us were concerned in conscience to op- 
 pose, argue, and testify against, to certain members of 
 Parliament concerned for such a comprehension, and 
 others also. 
 
 I remember I discoursed with divers of them about 
 it, showing them wherein they gave away the cause of 
 all the most honest and conscientious dissenters, and 
 thereby greatly lost ground, &c. 
 
 It was well that project of such a comprehension did 
 not take efTect, there was doubtless a Divine Hand and 
 Providence in its prevention. And would it not have 
 gone hard and sore against the grain, with the high 
 Episcopal clergy, if Presbyterian ministers, &c. had 
 partaken withthcm, and been made sharers in their 
 parish churches and livings, tithes and glebe lands, ob- 
 lations and obventions, profits and revenues, wherein 
 they were formerly paramount, and chiefly if not wholly- 
 invested for the space of twelve years or above, until 
 the year 1660, and that the act of uniformity came to 
 be in force ; and then Presbytery must give way to 
 Episcopacy, and lay down church revenues or else con- 
 form ; whereupon many great Presbyterian ministers 
 did conform with such pretences as these — they must 
 not lay aside preaching the Gospel, for want of con- 
 forming or dispensing with a few ceremonies, which are 
 but things indillerent and inconsiderable : their great 
 livings, tithes, oblations, and profits, were to them far 
 more considerable. 
 
 In the mean while, their solemn league and covenant 
 against Episcopacy, &c. was not well considered or 
 thought on by such occasional conformists ; yet some of 
 them who were of the more zealous presbytery, having 
 been noted for their zeal in respect to their solemn 
 league and covenant against prelacy or episcopacy, and 
 pretending some greater reformation, deserted those 
 counties and places where they had been so noted for 
 their zeal and reformation, &c. and removed into other
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 13 
 
 counties and places, some southward and some north, 
 where they were not so known, and could more easily 
 conform for a church living, and there put on the sur- 
 plice, sign infants with the sign of the cross, how to the 
 high altar, conform to all the ceremonies of their church, 
 and plead decency and good order in them all ; which 
 before were but superstitious relics of popery, and alto- 
 gether indecent in God's worship. 
 
 Yet to do the party right ; some ministers and people 
 were more conscientious than to allow of such an occa- 
 sional conformity for lucre's sake; and indeed many 
 could not obtain parish church livings if they would, 
 where there remained some old Episcopal clergymen 
 who had claim to the livings, having been formerly 
 turned out of the same; so that those who could not 
 conform on such occasions, nor obtain parish mainte- 
 nance, were fain to keep private, meetings, termed con- 
 venticles, as long as they could or durst ; for few of 
 them would suffer for their religion, but rather privily 
 slide away or flee out at back doors, rather than be 
 seized or taken by the persecutors ; though many of 
 the Baptists suffered imprisonment at first. But the 
 heat of the day, the burden of suffering and persecu- 
 tion, chiefly arose and fell upon us the poor Quakers; 
 for when we were not suffered to meet quietly in our 
 public meeting-houses, but many of us were violently 
 haled out to prison, and the rest by force turned out 
 and kept in the street ; there have we stood and kept 
 our meetings without doors, both when turned out and 
 when ofhcers were set on purpose to keep us wholly 
 out in the streets ; where we have often met and stood, 
 both in winter and summer and all weathers, as near 
 our own meeting-houses as we could get, and there 
 waited upon the Lord our God, in testimony against 
 our injurious, hard-hearted persecutors; insomuch that 
 some of the other dissenters, who durst not meet pub- 
 licly, have thanked God that He had enabled the Qua- 
 kers to stand in the gap, and bear the brunt, and keep 
 the blow off them. 
 
 YOL. II. B
 
 14 3IEM0IRS OF 
 
 The king being prevailed upon in a short tinne, 1 
 think about two years, to cancel or vacate his afore- 
 said indulgence to tender consciences ; some persecu- 
 tors began to appear again, and a new persecution 
 arose in divers places, where they picked up Friends 
 who bore public testimony to Truth ; and yet for some 
 time after, we could travel quietly and visit our meet- 
 ings in many counties. But the old and chief snare 
 which our great persecutors were ready to make use 
 of against us, was the oath of allegiance, knowing that 
 we could not swear in any case, either for the king or 
 for ourselves ; though we sincerely practised and per- 
 formed just allegiance toward him, as true and faith- 
 ful subjects, giving Caesar his due and to God his due, 
 the things that are truly His ; namely, his w-orship and 
 service according to our conscientious persuasion in 
 matters of faith and religion ; rather laying down our 
 bodies as the street to be trod upon, than subjecting our 
 souls for our persecutors to go over them ; and when 
 they could not go over our souls, nor make them yield 
 and bow to their corrupt wills and impositions, then 
 would they hunt us out, to apprehend and contine our 
 bodies in prisons and jails. 
 
 In the 10th month, 107 3, our dear Friends and bre- 
 thren, George Fox and Thomas Lower were appre- 
 hended ; being at a Friend's house in Worcestershire, 
 and on their journey towards their habitations in Lan- 
 cashire, but were obstructed and committed to prison 
 at Worcester, by warrant from one Henry Parker, 
 justice of peace, and detained prisoners a considerable 
 time. The injustice and illegality done against them, 
 is farther related and detected in George Fox's journal. 
 After George Fox had long remained prisoner at 
 Worcester, Thomas Moor and 1 went to the king at 
 Hampton court, and requested his liberty out of prison. 
 Though the king gave us little answer, yet after some 
 time the Lord made way for George Fox's release. 
 
 This imprisonment 1 have mentioned, that it may 
 appear how early the invidious persecutors fell to work,
 
 C. WTIITEIIEAn. lO 
 
 after the king's declaration as aforesaid. Tlie perse- 
 cutors being let loose again, the several ways of perse- 
 cution were renewed against us, the people called 
 Quakers ; as, for not swearing allegiance, the penalty 
 was inriprisonment and pretnunire; for not going to 
 parish church, so called, twenty pounds a month, or 
 two thirds of a person's estate, forfeited and seized on 
 exchequer process, or excommunication, and writs de 
 excommunkalo capiendo, issued out to take and impri- 
 son the persons excommunicated. And for our inno- 
 cent religious meetings, great spoil was made upon our 
 goods ; they being taken and torn away by a company 
 of loose, idle informers, who cared not what havoc and 
 spoil they made upon us, nor how much they ruined 
 honest, industrious families; besides Ihc many hard and 
 tedious imprisonments which many of us underwent, 
 both before and after the before-mentioned declaration 
 of indulgence. 
 
 Because of these our sufferings on divers sorts of pro- 
 secutions and processes before hinted, application was 
 often made to the king, and sometimes to the judges 
 before they went their several circuits, for some redress 
 and relief from those hardships and severe sufferings; 
 and great endeavours were used at least, to make the 
 king and his ministers sensible thereof, according to the 
 following brief accounts and intimations, viz. 
 
 " To the King's Justices, appointed for the several 
 circuits throughout England. 
 
 " Many of our Friends, called Quakers, being con- 
 tinued prisoners, and many piosecuted to great spoil 
 by informers, and on qui-tam writs, and by present- 
 ments and indictments for twenty pounds per mensem, 
 in divers counties throujihout England, oniv on the 
 account of religion and teniier conscience toward Al- 
 mighty God ; we esteem it our Christian duty to remind 
 you of their suflering condition, as we have done from 
 time to time. 
 
 " Humbly entreating you, in the circuits to enquire
 
 16 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 into the several causes of their commitments, and other 
 sufferings which they He under, and to extend what 
 favour you can to tlicm for their ease and relief. Pray- 
 ing the Almighty to direct and preserve you ; we are, 
 " Your Christian friends and well-wishers." 
 
 But we found little redress from (he judges in those 
 days, after divers applications to them ; except when 
 the king gave them some instructions thereunto; for 
 which end we sometimes applied to the king to stay 
 proceedings against our Friends : wjiereupon he showed 
 some compassion towards the sufferers. Their case 
 was presented to him in manner following. 
 
 To THE King. 
 
 " The case of the people called Quakers, who are 
 still sufferers by prosecutions upon old statutes made 
 against Popish recusants." 
 
 Presented to the king by George Whitehead, William 
 Mead, and John Osgood, the 16th of the 11th month, 
 1679. Being introduced by William Chiffins, Esq. 
 closet keeper to the king, as he had given leave and 
 appointed. 
 
 After a brief introductory speech to the king, by 
 George Whitehead, the following case was presented 
 and read, viz. 
 
 " It may be remembered, that about two years last 
 past, our case of sufferings was represented before the 
 king and his privy council, that is, the late and unwont- 
 ed prosecutions upon the statutes of (he iiSrd and 28th 
 of Queen Elizabefh, made against Popish Recusants ; 
 by colour whereof, and of the statute of the 3rd of king 
 James, two-thirds of our lands, tenements, heredita- 
 ments, leases, and farms, for two or three years then 
 last past, were seized into the king's hands ; and pro- 
 cess made out of his exchequer twice yearly, to collect
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 
 
 the rents and profits thereof, for which the bailiffs sel- 
 dom take less than double ; their distresses frequently- 
 amounting to more than the yearly value of the whole 
 estates. The king was then pleased to express his 
 sense of the unreasonableness of such persecution, say- 
 ing, ' It was hard we should sulTer by laws made against 
 us, and also by those laws never made or designed 
 against us.' But the Parliament being then sitting, the 
 king referred us to them, as the more proper place for 
 an etrectual redress. 
 
 " In obedience whereunto we made our application 
 to the House of Commons, who, by a committee, then 
 examined, by witnesses and records, the justness and 
 reasonableness of our complaints, and had true resent- 
 ments thereof; but before they could yield us any re- 
 lief, they were prorogued and soon after dissolved. 
 
 " We also represented our case to the succeeding Par- 
 liament, who for our rehef were pleased to insert a clause 
 in a bill then before them, to distinguish betwixt Papists 
 and Protestants, which would have tended to redress 
 our grievance. But the king also proroguing that Par- 
 liament before the said bill had past its last customary 
 reading in the upi)er house, we are still left under the 
 said heavy pressures. 
 
 "Now although the most effectual redress of these 
 present and future prosecutions, as the king has direct- 
 ed, would be by act of parliament; yet it being so, that 
 the king has power by law to grant a stay or cessation 
 of processes, which are made out to collect the fines, 
 and profits levied upon our estates, that is, the forfei- 
 tures being made to the king : 
 
 " We therefore, in true Christian humility, desire, 
 that the king will be pleased to grant a present stay or 
 cessation of process ; until we can have a tnore eflectual 
 redress in a parliamentary way." 
 
 The king received this case with a list of the sufler- 
 ers, that is, of our Friends under prosecution ; and he 
 was pleased to give this answer, viz. '• That it is very 
 
 B 2
 
 18 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 unreasonable you should thus sufler by laws that were 
 never intended against you; I am against persecution 
 or persecuting any for conscience, and I shall consider 
 of your case and afford you what relief 1 can; I will 
 advise with my lord chancellor and attorney general 
 about it, what way I may do it," &c. That is, what 
 we requested, that he would please to give order to put 
 a stop to process againsi us in the exchequer, &c. 
 
 The king farther told us ; " that it should be moved 
 the next council day ; he would remember it, and 
 Shephard should give us notice." He being a noted sort 
 of a witty person and courtier, who much attended the 
 king and was intimate with him. 
 
 We were sensible that the king at that time, as I 
 have known him at several others, was touched in his 
 conscience, and somewhat tenderly allected with the 
 extremity and long continuance of those great sufferings 
 upon our Friends in this and other cases ; but some 
 persons near him were not our friends and had too 
 much influence upon him, whereby his good inclina- 
 tions against persecution, and for liberty of conscience, 
 as well as his promises for the same, were many times 
 frustrated ; and our suffering heavy pressures and trou- 
 bles by persecutions, were in great measure continued 
 under his reign till his days were ended. 
 
 And though our solicitations did not at all times take 
 the effect desired, yet I had this secret encouragement 
 to move betimes in a good cause, and to pursue the same 
 so far as I could, believing that if it was for some time 
 delayed or rejected, it would in the Lord's time take 
 effect: and il^ at any time we did not receive present 
 gain, that we should not lose by early movitig in and 
 following a just cause. For many times when we have 
 laboured under severe persecutions and confinements, 
 &c. we have often called for justice when we could 
 not have it; yet thereby we have cleared our con- 
 sciences and had the more inward peace, believing 
 that the just God would appear for us if men would not 
 hear us. And our God has often manifestly pleaded
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 19 
 
 our cause, and vindicated our innocency in divers res- 
 pects ; both in men's consciences and in removing our 
 implacable persecutors, when they have tilled up their 
 measures. 
 
 George Whitehead did not escape a share in the re- 
 newed sufferings of the Society, which arose from the 
 cancelling of the king's order. In the year 1G80 he 
 visited the city of Norwich; and meeting there unex- 
 pectedly with his fiiend Thomas Burr, a fellow minis- 
 ter, they thought it right to attend the meeting of their 
 Friends on the tirst day of the week, although they un- 
 derstood it was not unlikely to be disturbed. 
 
 The meeting in the morning was held peaceably; 
 but in the afternoon, whilst (Jeorge Whitehead was 
 preaching to the people, a number of informers rushed 
 into the meeting ; making a great noise, and endeavour- 
 ing to push their way to George Whitehead to pull him 
 down. 
 
 The people liowever it seems did not allow them to 
 pass ; and George Whit(;head desired to know whether 
 they had any legal authority for their proceedings. 
 They refused to give him any satisfaction on this point; 
 but insinuated that he might be a Jesuit, and demand- 
 ed the names of the strangci's. With this demand 
 George Whitehead immediately complied, for the sat- 
 isfaction of the people; and after disturbing the meet- 
 ing as much as they could, the informers tliought pro- 
 per to retire. Soon, however, one of the sherilTs of the 
 city made his appearance; and the people making way 
 for him, he required the two Friends to follow him ; and 
 accompanied by the informers, conducted the unresist- 
 ing prisoners to gaol. 
 
 In about two hours they were summoned to appear 
 before the recorder ; and on being brought into his room, 
 they found the priest of the parish along with him, who 
 during the examination evinced no friendly spirit to- 
 wards them. The recorder apparently suspecting them 
 of being popish emissaries, questioned them closely as
 
 20 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 to whether they had orders from Rome ; to which they 
 gave a plain denial, declaring in the most solemn man- 
 ner their abhorrence of popery. 
 
 He then questioned them about their preaching that 
 day at the meeting, threatening to fine them twenty 
 pounds each, under the Conventicle Act. Finding that 
 they would not deposit these sums, or give security for 
 their appearance at the ensuing sessions, or take the 
 oath of allegiance, he committed them to prison. 
 
 From hence George Whitehead and Thomas Burr 
 wrote a respectful letter to tlie magistrates of the city, 
 before whom they were to be brought, entreating their 
 moderation and that they would not allow them to be 
 deprived of a full and fair hearing. A very minute ac- 
 count of their trial, collected and compared at the ses- 
 sions by several hands, is preserved in George White^ 
 head's narrative ; from which the following is abstract- 
 ed. 
 
 At the quarter sessions for the city and county of 
 Norwich, the 2Sth day of April, so called, 1G80. 
 
 The prisoners were brought to the bar. 
 
 Their hats ordered to be taken olK 
 
 George Whitehead standing up to the bar, began thus, 
 viz. 
 
 " The law of England requires two things of the court, 
 with respect to the prisoners, viz. 
 
 " First the patience of the court ; and secondly, the 
 indillerency of the court towards the prisoners. 
 
 " That their case may be patiently heard and consid- 
 ered, without prejudication, before any judgment pass 
 against them. We have been five weeks in prison ; 
 it is meet the court should know for what. Pray let 
 our mittimus l)e produced and read in court, that it may 
 be understood what charge we suffer under." 
 
 Recorder. " There is no need of your mittimus to be 
 read here ; I will give account of the cause ; I will in- 
 form the court. These persons had been two months 
 from home, and had been up and down the country in
 
 G. WniTEIIEAD. 
 
 21 
 
 SufTollc, at a burial, &,c. And then they came hither, 
 and here they gathered a company together of about 
 two hundred, and llie ofFiccrs went from me to dissipate 
 them, but could not; whereupon I sent tliesherilF, and 
 he took them away and put them in prison. And then 
 they were brought befoie me ; and after conviction 
 made, 1 protlcrcd them that if they would pay their 
 fines, I would not commit them to prison; but when 
 they would not, I tendered the oath of allegiance to 
 them ; and after they would not take it, 1 sent them to 
 gaol ; as I think I very well might." 
 
 George IVhile/iead. " We are Englishmen, and have 
 a right to travel in any part of the nation,"' &.c. 
 
 Recorder. " There is a law, and the Church of Eng- 
 land will never be at quiet till some of you be hanged 
 by that law," (or till such fellows as you are hanged.) 
 
 George Whitehead. " The court may see the frame 
 of the recorder's spirit towards us, and that he stands 
 not as a person indifferent but a party against us. Thou 
 oughtest not to inveis-h a<rainsl the prisoners, nor threat- 
 en us; that stands not with the indiffcrency of the 
 court ; nor yet thy determining or resolving aforehand 
 against us, as thou hast done. Judges ought not to de- 
 clare their opinions aforehand against the prisoner ; 
 Hussey, the chief justice, would not do it to the king, 
 in the case of Humphrey Stafford the arch-traitor, but 
 begged of the king he would not desire him to declare 
 his opinion aforehand, that the prisoner might come 
 judicially before him and have justice done him. And 
 the king accepted his request in the case." — Interrupt- 
 ed. See Cook's Inst part 3, ful. 29. 
 
 Recorder. "What king's reign was that in?" 
 George IVhitehcad. "In king Henry the seventh's." 
 Recorder. " I perceive you have read," (or are read.) 
 George fVhilrhead. " Seeing that none of the court 
 have as yet had any hand against us, except the recor- 
 der, we may charitably hope that the court will stand 
 indifferent toward us, and let us have a fair hearing be- 
 fore any determination. The laws of our nation re-
 
 22 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 quire a due course of proceeding, before men be sen- 
 tenced or condemned : so there ought to be a due hear- 
 ing : as where a process or proceeding consists of seve- 
 ral parts, each part ought to be enquired into and 
 answered in due order, without confounding one thing 
 with another, or putting that first which in course is 
 last. Let us have a fair hearing and trial : let us be 
 tried before we be hanged." 
 
 Recorder. " You were sent to prison for refusing the 
 oath of allegiance." 
 
 Georore IVhiteheacl " That is a mistake ; we were 
 sent to prison for being at a meeting charged to be 
 against the peace; which is the premises in our mitti- 
 mus to which we are here to answer. And therefore, 
 that all may know what is laid to our charge, we desire 
 our mittimus may be read, that so, if there be any per- 
 sons that will undertake to prove the matter in charge, 
 let us see them and have liberty to answer the premises 
 contained in the mittimus." 
 
 Recorder. " 1 will show you, that when a person is 
 committed to prison, he may have several actions laid 
 upon him, if new charges be brought against him," &c. 
 
 Prisoner. " I grant that; but that is not our case; 
 for we presume the recorder had no new matter brought 
 against us, after he committed us to prison ; and there- 
 fore could not lay any new charge upon us." 
 
 The recorder continued to refuse the reading of the 
 mittimus upon which they were committed, and after 
 some further altercation said: "Put the oath to them 
 that is in the second mittimus." 
 
 George WhUeheud. " I beg of this court for God's 
 sake and the king's sake, to be heard fairly without 
 thus being run upon : for God's sake, because he is a 
 God of justice and truth ; and for the king's sake, be- 
 cause the king's will towards us as subjects, is what 
 the law and justice wills. As his will is the will of the 
 law, he wills that none of his subjects be injured or un- 
 duly prosecuted contrary to law. I a j) peal to the may- 
 or as chief magistrate of this city, and the rest of the
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 23 
 
 justices here present, whether ye ought not to see us 
 have that right done us, as to have our mittimus pro- 
 duced and read in court, that you nnay undcistand the 
 cause of our commitment, we were not committed for 
 refusing the oath. We intreat that the court may 
 hear our mittimus, that we may not have other 
 premises put upon us than what is contained therein." 
 
 Recorder. " It shall not be read ; there is no need of 
 that: 1 am present that committed you." 
 
 George JVhitehcad. " 1 appeal to the mayor and the 
 rest of the justices, who are more indifferent towards us, 
 for justice in this case, viz. that we may have our mit- 
 timus read and answer to the premises contained in it ; 
 and not thus be run upon and diverted with that which 
 is none of the premises," &c. 
 
 Mayor. " You have appealed to me ; truly we arc 
 tradesmen and no lawyers : we leave matters of law to 
 the recorder ; he knows the law and we must acquiesce 
 in his judgment." 
 
 Thomas Burr. " Thou understandest we ought to 
 have our mittimus read and be heard ; and thou art the 
 chief magistrate in this court," &c. 
 
 George Whitehead. " You all have a conscience to- 
 wards God, and an equal and just law therein ; and 
 you are under a severe obligation, to wit, your oath, to 
 see justice and right done us. We appeal to the mayor 
 and justices here for jnstice, in relation to our mitti- 
 mus, that it may not be thus evaded. We are at this 
 sessions to answer to the premises or matter of charge 
 therein contained ; you are concerned in conscience to 
 do us right herein. The honour of this court is also 
 concerned, not to see us precipitated nor run down 
 upon other premises. The mittimus was given under 
 the hand and seal of your recorder, his reputation and 
 honour are also concerned," &c. 
 
 Recorder. " My honour concerned ! wherein ?" 
 George Whitehead. " Thy reputation and honour are 
 concerned, in that thou art bound to stand by our mit-
 
 24 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 timus; it is under thy hand and seal : now thou goest 
 about to evade it, by imposing other premises upon us." 
 
 Recorder. " They sent their mittimus to the attorney 
 general, and sohcited him for advice, to know vvlielher 
 they were according to law or not. And moved for a 
 habeas corpw! ; but it would not be granted." 
 
 George Whileheud. " We neither sent to the attorney- 
 general, nor have we yet moved for a habeas rorpm.^^ 
 
 Recorder. " The second mittimus or warrant is about 
 their refusing the oath of allegiance; as for the first, I 
 did not make it by book." 
 
 George Whitehead. " It is not a reasonable thing to 
 bring a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes 
 laid against him : it was contrary to the very laws of 
 the Romans. — " Interrupted. 
 
 Recorder. " What tell vou us of the law of the Ro- 
 mans ; we have laws of our own to act by," &.c. 
 
 George Whitehead. "It is according to the law of 
 reason and nations, that the crimes and oiFcnces should 
 be known, for which prisoners are committed and de- 
 tained in prison ; else why should they suffer?" 
 
 Recorder. " The court must tender you the oath." 
 
 George Whitehead. " Wherefore then were we com- 
 mitted and detained in prison above these five weeks? 
 If we be offenders, let us know our offence for which 
 we were committed ; if not,- do not go about to ensnare 
 us; do not seek occasion against us. It is enough to 
 punish us, if found guilty of what is charged against us 
 in our mittimus. We entreat the mayor and court to 
 do us right in this matter, that our mittimus may be 
 read." 
 
 Mayor and some others. " Well, you shall have it 
 read." 
 
 George Whitehead. " Keeper, where is our mitti- 
 mus; produce it that it may be read, as the mayor and 
 other justices here present have engaged." 
 
 Recorder. " Tender them the oath ; put the oath 
 to them. If you will take it, that shall serve, &c. If 
 not, you incur a premunire," &.c. 
 
 The clerk begins to read the oath.
 
 G. WniTEHEAD. 35 
 
 George Whitehead. " The oath is none of the prenn- 
 ises contained in our mittimus, which we are to answer 
 to at this sessions, and to be tried upon." 
 
 Thomas Burr. "Our all is at stake; we perceive 
 the recorder is determined concerning us : we must 
 have liberty to speak ; we are freeborn Englishmen." 
 
 Recorder. " We have power here to tender you the 
 oath, without taking notice of any other cause." 
 
 George Whitehead. " It is preposterous to run us 
 upon the oath in the first place, we being not commit- 
 ted for that, but for other causes." 
 
 Recorder. " You affront the court : is that a fit word 
 to give the court, to charge the court with preposterous 
 proceedings." 
 
 George Whitehead. " I do not charge the court ; 1 
 do distinguish between the recorder, in this point, and 
 the court. He seeks to run us upon that first, which 
 in course is last, according to his own mittimus and 
 warrant; and is not that preposterous? Let our mit- 
 timus be read, and that will show we were not com- 
 mitted upon the oath. 
 
 *' We ought to have due process or proceeding in due 
 course of law : therefore the court should know how 
 we were first arrested and turned into gaol by the 
 sheriff, without examination, mittimus or warrant; and 
 how afterward had out and committed ; and what the 
 mittimus is ; what are the premises contained in it, 
 that we are to answer unto. 
 
 " The law of England is tender of men's liberties, 
 properties, estates, and lives, all which are concerned 
 in our imprisonment ; lex anglict is said to be lex mise- 
 ricordice, that is, the law of England is a law of mercy ; 
 one reason whereof is, that the innocent may not be 
 worn or wasted through long imprisonment, but be 
 brought forth speedily to his trial, according to magna 
 charta," &c. 
 
 Recorder. " Look what an argument or consequence 
 you would draw from hence, the law of England is a 
 law of mercy ; it is lex misericordice, therefore thieves 
 
 VOL. IJ. c
 
 26 MEMOIRS or 
 
 or malefactors, &c. must not be brought to condign 
 punishment," &.c. 
 
 George Whitehead. " This is none of my conse- 
 quence ; mine is the same that Judge Coke doth in- 
 stance, wherein the law of England is lex misericordm, 
 in that it is tender of men's liberties and prescribes a 
 due course of procedure." Interrupted. 
 
 " Magna charta enjoins, that no freeman shall be 
 taken or imprisoned, &lc. but by the law of the land. 
 The law of England requires due process from the very 
 first arrest, taking, and imprisoning, to the very end 
 and execution of the same. Therefore the first arrest, 
 imprisoning, and committing us, ought to be known and 
 understood, whether it was in due manner and course 
 of law, yea or nay." 
 
 The recorder was much offended at the prisoner, 
 for urging so strongly the reading of their mittimus, 
 and with the justices for acquiescing in their desire. 
 
 At length, on George Whitehead still urging the pro- 
 duction of this document, the recorder said to him : 
 " No doubt you have a copy ;" on which George 
 Whitehead said he had, and craved the liberty of the 
 court to read it. The justices having queried one of 
 another, and being generally of the mind that it_ ought 
 to be read, the mayor informed the recorder, that the 
 justices were agreed it should be read, which was ac- 
 cordingly done, ll stated, that the prisoners had assem- 
 bled together with several other persons, in disturbance of 
 the public peace and against the laios of the realm / and 
 being required to find sureties for their respective appear- 
 ance at the next quarter sessions, zvhich they refused, the 
 keeper of the common gaol was required to receive them, 
 and keep them until they should be discharged by due 
 order of law. 
 
 George Whitehead urging the charge contained in the 
 mittimus, viz. (hat of being at a meeting in disturbance 
 of the public peace — the recorder insisted on what he 
 called the other mittimus, being read also. George 
 Whitehead pressed the court to try them, in the first
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 
 
 27 
 
 instance at least, on their original mittimus, and stated, 
 that they had exceptions against the second warrant 
 which ought to be read if the warrant were. The 
 court agreed that both should be read. 
 
 Recorder. " Have you any thing against the oath of 
 allegiance? Or do you except against any thing con- 
 tained in it." 
 
 George Whitehead. " We have nothing to except 
 against the declaration of allegiance contained in it, as 
 to the substance thereof." 
 
 Thomas Burr. " We show our allegiance by our 
 conversations, that is, by our living peaceably under 
 the king and government." 
 
 Recorder. " Do you scruple any word or thing con- 
 tained in the oath 1 If you do, tell us what it is." 
 
 Georve Whitehead. " We both own and can sign the 
 declaration of allegiance, in opposition to the pope and 
 popery ; and to those seditious or treasonable prac- 
 tices and positions abjured and renounced by that 
 oath." 
 
 Recorder. " Do vou hold it unlawful to take an oath 
 in any case ?" 
 
 George Whitehead. " We are not committed to pri- 
 son to answer to questions at sessions ; but to answer 
 to the premises contained in our mittimus." 
 
 Recorder. " Do you not hold it law^ful to tell a lie, 
 that is an officious lie 1 to prevent an imminent dan- 
 ger," &c. 
 
 George Whitehead. " No, by no means ; that is not 
 a true protestant principle, to tell or maintain an offi- 
 cious lie, so called." 
 
 Recorder. "Will you take the oath ? &-c. If you 
 \vill, hold up your hand as a testimony that you do take 
 the oath or swear, that shall serve," &c. 
 
 George Whitehead. " Wc have a protestation or de- 
 claration against the pope and popery, which was 
 delivered to the committee of parliament, and thereby 
 judged sufficient to distinguish us from popish recu- 
 sants : we crave leave of the court to read it."
 
 28 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 Recorder. " What difference is there between a 
 protestation and an oath ?" 
 
 George ff'hilehead. " It may be a protestation or 
 testimony against popery, yet not an oath. I pray you 
 let us read our protestation, that we may not lie under 
 suspicion without cause." 
 
 Court. " You may. Read it." 
 
 The protestation read in court, which followeth. 
 
 " A protestation or declaration, to distinguish Pro- 
 testant dissenters from Popish recusants. 
 
 " I, A. B. do, in the presence of Almighty God, so- 
 lemnly profess, and in good conscience declare, it is my 
 real judgment that the Church of Rome is not the real 
 Church of Christ ; nor the pope or bishop of Rome, 
 Christ^s vicar : and his or their doctrines, of deposing 
 heretical princes and of absolving their subjects of their 
 obedience ; of purgatory and prayers for the dead ; of 
 indulgences and worshipping of images ; of adoring 
 and praying to the Virgin Mary and other saints, de- 
 ceased ; and of transubstantiation, or changing the 
 elements of bread and wine into the body and blood of 
 Christ, at or after the consecration thereof by any per- 
 son whatsoever; are false, erroneous, and contrary to 
 the- Truth of God declared in the Holy Scriptures : and 
 therefore, that the communion of the said Church is 
 superstitious and idolatrous. 
 
 " And I do likewise sincerely testify and declare, 
 that I do from the bottom of my heart, detest and ab- 
 hor all plots and conspiracies that are, or may be con- 
 trived against the king, or parliament, or people, of this 
 realm, or the true Protestant religion therein professed. 
 And I do hereby faithfully promise, by God's help, to 
 live a peaceable and sober life, as becometh a good 
 Christian and protestant to do. 
 
 " And all this I do acknowledge, intend, declare, and 
 subscribe, without any equivocation or mental reserva- 
 tion ; according to the true plainness, simplicity, and 
 usual significations of the words. 
 
 " Witness my hand."
 
 G. M'HITEIIEAD. 
 
 29 
 
 George Whilehead. " This was accepted by a great 
 committee and entered in the journal of parUament, in 
 order to distinguish us from popish recusants," &c. 
 
 Recorder. " We have not a law to accept it : it is 
 not enacted or made a law. We must proceed accord- 
 ing to law, &c. You seem to declare for the true Pro- 
 testant religion, &.c. when you dissent from the Church 
 of England ; I am not in that point satisfied with your 
 declaration." 
 
 George IVhitehtad. " We have no mental reserva- 
 tions in the case. We are willing and ready to sign 
 this declaration. Is there any evidence against us, to 
 prove the premises contained in our mittimus ? Where 
 are our accusers?" 
 
 Recorder, " The premises : what are they ?" 
 
 George. Whilehead. " The being at an unlawful 
 assembly in disturbance of the public peace, as is pre- 
 tended against us ; let us be tried, and either condemn- 
 ed or acquitted hereupon." 
 
 Recorder. " I was more favourable to you than you 
 deserved ; for I could have drawn an indictment against 
 you at common law, and brought you to a trial upon 
 it ; which bein^ found a2:ainst vou 1 must have fined 
 you. 
 
 " We who are in commission for the peace, arc lex 
 lorjiietis, nnd to give the true meaning of the law. We 
 are not to make laws, but to interpret the law. We 
 are to punish or amerce offenders, secundum qualita- 
 tem and secundum quantitatum delicti," (fcc. 
 
 George JVhitehrad. "We are not at present about 
 to justify ourselves as to matter of fact ; wo are wil- 
 ling to hear evidence what any can prove against us, 
 in relation to our assemblies. Let us have due pro- 
 cess." 
 
 Recorder. "If the court will agree to it, we will 
 adjourn. And I will provide an indictment, and give 
 order that the witnesses shall be here, and will give it 
 to the grand inquest ; and if they find it against you, 
 
 c 2
 
 30 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 you shall be fined forty pounds, and imprisonment till 
 paid," &c. 
 
 Prisoner. " It seems the witnesses are yet to pro- 
 cure. Is there any here that can give evidence against 
 our meeting, of the breach of the peace," &.c. 
 
 Recorder. " That is a lie ; I did not say 1 would 
 procure witnesses : that is scandalous." 
 
 Thomas Burr. " We desire that no advantage may 
 be taken against us for a word. You ought not to take 
 advantage," &c. 
 
 George Whitehead. " I intended no offence in the 
 word procure ; 1 intended it not in the worst sense, that 
 is, as by way of subornation ; for 1 intended no other 
 than according to the recorder's own words, that wit- 
 nesses should be here, or the like, which doubtless 
 many present heard." 
 
 Recorder. " You shall have the oath put to you, 
 and I will tell you what danger you incur: if you re- 
 fuse to take it, you arc to be put out of the king's pro- 
 tection, your lands and estates forfeit to the king, and 
 your bodies imprisoned during the king's pleasure," &c. 
 
 George Whitehead. " We understand what a pre- 
 munire means, according to the statute of premunire, 
 made in the sixteenth year of king Richard the Second ; 
 though there is no equity that should be brought upon 
 us, whilst we practise our allegiance. Suppose we can- 
 not for conscience' sake swear, it is but hard measure 
 to bring us under the penalty of premunire for that 
 cause only. What equity can there be in it ? seeing 
 we utterly deny the pope and popery, &c. ; to which 
 we may justly add, and abhor those treasonable prac- 
 tices and positions, which are abjured by that oath. 
 Can it be equal or just to run us to a premunire, to for- 
 feit our estates, liberties, &c. only for want of swear- 
 ing? How can that be either secundum qualitatum, 
 or secundum quantitatum delicti ?" 
 
 Recorder. " You talk of conscience. Friend, friend, 
 let me ask you one question : pray what is conscience V' 
 
 George Whitehead. " It is that knowledge that God
 
 G. WHITEnEAD. 31 
 
 hath placed in man ; it is a knowing together between 
 God and our own souls, by virtue of the law of God in 
 man ; whereby he knows what is good and wliat is evil, 
 and whereby he is taught to embrace the good and 
 shun the evil. It is called, the law of truth, the law of 
 equity, the law of reason, &c. against which law, says 
 the law book ' Doctor and Student,' no law nor custom 
 ought to be brought, but is void." 
 
 Recorder. "Although I asked you a question, I did 
 not bid you preach upon it. But conscience may be 
 seared; as when men will not be reclaimed, but have 
 their own wills be they never so contrary." 
 
 George Whitehead. " It is true; some men's con- 
 sciences become hardened and seared througrh sinnins:, 
 and for want of being exercised by that law of God in 
 them. Yet there is a universal law of truth in man- 
 kind, whereby even the wicked and those of seared and 
 hardened consciences, shall finally be convicted and 
 awakened in torment," &-c. 
 
 Recorder. " You nmst have the oath put to you ; 
 the court must tender you the oath of allegiance ; will 
 you take it ?" 
 
 George Whitehead. "We lie under a charge in our 
 mittimus ; let us be discharged of that first : that con- 
 tains the premises which we are to answer to; let us 
 not be hood-winked. Are we discharired of the two 
 warrants that are against us, yea or no \ The rest of 
 the court ought to know, that one thing may not con- 
 found another." 
 
 Recorder. " You talk law as you talk Gospel; here 
 you talk a little, and there you talk a little. It is pity 
 you have the benefit of the lavv ; you put yourselves 
 from the protection of the lavv." 
 
 George Whitehead. " The recorder is a party against 
 us; he is our accuser, prosecutor, and judge. He in- 
 veighs against us; he is determined against us; he has 
 told his resolution aforehnnd," etc. 
 
 One justice, "You oiler contempt against the king
 
 32 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 in what you say against his minister; the recorder is 
 his minister." 
 
 George Whitehead. " No such matter; I only oppose 
 an undue and irregular procedure, which is not the 
 king's will," &.c. 
 
 Recorder. " Your words tend to stir up the people 
 here to sedition." 
 
 George Whitehead. " We have no such design ; we 
 only plead our own rights as Englishmen : the losers 
 must have leave to speak ; our liberties, and estates, 
 and families are concerned ; our wives and families suf- 
 fer by our restraint," &c. 
 
 Recorder. " Clerk, tender him the oath ; offer him 
 the book." 
 
 Clerk reads: " 1 George Whitehead do truly and sin- 
 cerely acknowledge, profess, testify, and declare in my 
 conscience," &c. 
 
 George Whitehead. '• Forbear ; we have matter of 
 plea which ought to be heard tirst," &c. 
 
 Note. Here a great noise was made by some pre- 
 sent. 
 
 Crier. " O yes ! silence in the court," &c. 
 
 George Whitehead. " We beg of the court that we 
 may not be thus run upon, but duly heard upon the 
 process we suffer under." 
 
 Recorder. "■ Will you take the oath ? answer and 
 then you shall know the pleasure of the court." 
 
 George Whitehead. "We ought. to be at some cer- 
 tainty, whether we are discharged of the premises laid 
 against us in the two warrants. The recorder was 
 even now for indicting us at common law : now he is 
 all in haste to put the oath upon us. Thus he appears 
 inconsistent with himself: he is not now lex loquens to 
 be sure ; for the law speaking doth not contradict itself 
 He is not the mouth of the law, in running thus undu- 
 ly and abruptly upon us with the oath, to evade the 
 premises which wc were to answer (o. Are we dis- 
 charcied of the two warrants, vea or no ? let us have the 
 plain advice or sense of the court."
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 
 
 33 
 
 Recorder. " It may be you may suppose you be 
 discharged ; what is the consequence you will infer 
 thence." 
 
 George Whitehead. " We desire a plain answer ; we 
 are not to be answered by supposition, nor thence to 
 draw consequences now : we are not called hither to 
 dispute upon a hypothetical argument ; we expect a 
 positive plain answer, and the sense of the court con- 
 cerning our mittimus and warrant: are we discharged 
 of them or not ?' 
 
 Some of the court to the recorder : " Let them be dis- 
 charged of them." 
 
 Some of the court : " You are discharged of them." 
 
 George Whitehead. " Does the recorder say so? 
 Does he assent to it '? Let proclamation be made of it 
 then, that we may be set at liberty in the same capa- 
 city we were in before we were first arrested." 
 
 Recorder. " No, no ; seeing you will take your way I 
 will take my way ; you sball have the oath first and 
 then your discharge. Will you take the oath, and then 
 you shall be discharged 1 What say you to it ? Read 
 the oath," &c. 
 
 Thomas Burr. « It is a force put upon us ; it is very 
 hard dealing we may not be duly heard," &c. 
 
 George Whitehead. " Are the rest of the justices of 
 the same mind, that we should be thus run upon? We 
 hope you are not all of the same mind with the recor- 
 der in this proceeding. He is engaged against us ; he 
 is resolved to make something of it, and to make us ex- 
 emplary in suffering." 
 
 Recorder. " Stop his mouth ; take him away. They 
 had not only need to have their hats pulled olF, but their 
 mouths stopt also." 
 
 George Whitehead. " Pray hear us ; we have more 
 to offer as about this tender of the oath, to show how 
 undue it is, if you will but suffer the law to be read 
 which we desire. But we ought first to have had pro- 
 clamation made of our discharge from the two war- 
 rants."
 
 34 mi:moirs of 
 
 Recorder. " If we should make proclamation and let 
 you go, we should be laughed at : no, no ; I see you lay 
 upon the catch, we will not discharge you. Now we have 
 you here we shall not let you go, for to send a warrant 
 after you to fetch you again. Will you take the oath 
 or not ?" ' 
 
 George Whitehead. " Is this intended for a first ten- 
 der or second 1 We desire an answer." 
 
 Recorder. "We will tender it you denovo ; it shall 
 be for a first tender ; and if you will not take it, you 
 shall be committed till next sessions," &c. 
 
 Clerk reads the oath. 
 
 Clerk, " 1, Thomas Burr, do truly and sincerely ac- 
 knowledge, profess, testify, and declare in my con- 
 science," &c. 
 
 George Whitehead. " We appeal to the mayor and 
 the rest of the justices. The recorder is a party against 
 us ; he has determined against us beforehand : 1 will 
 prove that he is no competent judge in our case, if I 
 may be heard." — Interruption. — " Are we discharged 
 of the two warrants ? Pray let us have fair and plain 
 dealing ; do not thus force upon us ; it is unfair and un- 
 due proceeding. Let us be discharged of the two war- 
 rants first, before we be put upon an answer : we ought 
 not to be put to our answer, but upon due process," &c. 
 
 Some of the court. " You are discharged from those 
 two mittimusses. Clerk, read their discharge." The 
 clerk reads what the recorder hajd caused him to enter 
 into the book to this purpose. 
 
 Clerk. " George Whitehead and Thomas Burr arc 
 discharged of the matter contained in their two mit- 
 timusses. And the oath of allegiance, and the Testa- 
 ment to swear in open court, at this present sessions, 
 was severally tendered to them ; and the said George 
 Whitehead and Thomas Burr, having severally refused 
 to take tlie said oath of allegiance, it is therefore order- 
 ed, that the said George Whitehead and Thomas Burr 
 be committed to the common gaolof the said city, there
 
 G. WniTEUEAD. 35 
 
 to remain without bail or mainprize until the next 
 quarter sessions," &c. 
 
 George Whitehead. " The latter part is not true ; 
 we have not yet refused the oath ; wc were not duly 
 nor regularly brought upon that point as to give a posi- 
 tive answer, because of the other precedent charges 
 which we were to answer to. We have yetniatter of plea 
 about the tender of the oath, dc novo, in court. We re- 
 quest further time to be heard upon an adjournment, 
 before we give our positive answer. We desire to 
 know upon what law or statute it is tendered?" No 
 answer was given to this question. 
 
 Recorder. " You have stronger lungs than 1 ; 1 un- 
 derstand you had a feast last night, &-c. Adjourn the 
 court ; take them away gaoler." 
 
 George Whitehead. " Pray let us have more time to 
 consider and speak to this point. 1 intreat that 1 may 
 have leave to read the clause in the statute, that con- 
 cerns the tender of the oath." 
 
 These endeavours of the prisoners to be heard, after 
 the pretended order was entered, was, because the 
 prisoners did not believe that the justices, or greater 
 number of them, did concur with the recorder's proceed- 
 ing against them ; but that they had more both of mo- 
 deration and justice in them, and that he carried things 
 on too much over their heads; and all to run down 
 and ensnare the prisoners, to oppress them and con- 
 tinue them under suffering. 
 
 Ojfficers_. " The court adjourned." 
 
 George Whitehead held by the bar, pressing to be 
 further heard after the adjournment, when the court 
 met again, and for the statute to be read about the 
 oath ; neither whereof would be granted the prisoners, 
 but two of the keepers pulled the prisoners away. 
 
 Prisoner. " Take notice that we have not vet re- 
 fused the oath, being not duly nor regularly brought 
 upon that point; but we have owned the declaration of 
 allegiance contained in it, and do still freely assent to
 
 36 MEMOIRS, <k;c. 
 
 it, in opposition to and abhorrence of all those treason- 
 able practices, positions, and principles abjured and 
 renounced by that oath ; though we are conscientiously 
 afraid to swear it, only with respect to Christ's prohibi- 
 tion in the case of swearing."
 
 ( 37 ) 
 
 SECTION XIV. 
 
 George Whitehead and Thomas Burr re-conveyed to prison — re- 
 leased at the next quarter sessions — Distinction between the re- 
 fusal of Friends to take the oath and that of the Papists. — Change 
 in the sentiments of parliament respecting the persecution of dis- 
 se-iting protestants. — Bills for the relief of dissenters. — Charac- 
 ter of informers. — Petition to the king — A discourse with him. 
 — G. Whitehead labours in the ministry and shares in the suf- 
 ferings of his Friends. 
 
 After this manly and Christian defence of their civil 
 and religious rights, being re-conveyed to prison, George 
 Whitehead and his companions addressed a letter to 
 the mayor and aldermen of the city, acknowledging the 
 impartiality and moderation with which they had been 
 treated on their trial ; but at the same time respect- 
 fully urging the illegality of the proceeding, in the ten- 
 dering of the oath to them, de novo ; and requesting a 
 hearing in their council chamber, or to be brought be- 
 fore the adjournment of the court. Notwithstanding 
 the favourable disposition of the magistrates, and that 
 the recorder, five days after their trial, had been voted 
 out of place by the common council, their discharge was 
 not effected until the time of the next regular sessions; 
 when no charge being exhibited against them, they 
 were ordered to be released. 
 
 The earl of Yarmouth and several other persons of 
 eminence interfered in their favour ; from which, as 
 well as from the conduct of the magistrates, it may be 
 inferred, that some change in public opinion, probably 
 both as regarded (he character of the Quakers and the 
 nature of persecution, had taken place. 
 
 It must also be admitted, that some change had taken 
 place in the manner of George Whitehead's treating 
 those who differed from him ; and that, without any di- 
 minution of the sincerity and piety which marked the 
 
 VOL. II. D
 
 38 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 early period of his life, there was an evident increase 
 of tFiat conciliatory spirit, which is the usual accom- 
 paniment of mature wisdom. He has left very copious 
 remarks on the proceedings in this case ;* and whilst 
 they have lost much of their interest, by the happy 
 change in the laws, as well as, we trust, in the disposi- 
 tion of the people respecting persecution, the following 
 passages, in which he draws the distinction between the 
 case of the Papists and the Quakers in regard to the 
 refusal of the oath of allegiance, may be worthy of in- 
 sertion ; as showing the views taken by the Society, in 
 relation to the political duties of its members. 
 
 Our case, says ho. vastly ditrers from theirs for whom 
 the oath was intended ; there is no parity between our 
 case and theirs. We conscientiously scruple or fear to 
 take that oath, as we do all oaths, viz because it is an 
 oath; not because of the declaration therein contained, 
 of such duty and allegiance as every true and well- 
 affected subject ought to bear to the king ; nor yet be- 
 cause of the testimony or declaration therein against 
 the pope, his pretended power, excommunications, ab- 
 solutions, damnable positions, &c. therein mention- 
 ed ; for that declaration and testimony therein contain- 
 ed, for fidelity to the king and against the pope, &c. we 
 can freely sign, as we have debvered a declaration to 
 that purpose to the late long parliament, and in some 
 points containing a more full protestation against popery, 
 in the most erroneous, idolatrous, and superstitious doc- 
 trines thereof: which declaration was accepted by a 
 large committee of parliament, as sufficient to distin- 
 guish us from Papists, and entered into the journal of 
 the house of commons. And therefore the substance 
 of the declaration of allegiance, contained in the oath 
 
 * George Whitehead published at the time a very particu- 
 lar account of the trial, under the title of " Due order of Law and 
 Justice?, ])li;adcd against irregular and arbitrary Proceedings. 
 Published for information and caution, on the behalf of true Pro- 
 testants and Englishmen's birthrights." Editor.
 
 G. WIIITKIfKAI). 39 
 
 of allegiance, we cannot oppugn, but own, as it is or 
 may be transferred or intended on bebalfof the present 
 king, in opposition to those treasonable practices and 
 principles thereby renounced and abjured ; as being 
 persuaded in conscience, that he was eminently pre- 
 served and restored by the hand of Divine Providence, 
 to have actual power and dominion in this realm and 
 all other his countries, knowing that the Most High 
 rules over the kingdoms of men and that they are at 
 his disposal. 
 
 And we also believe, that in good conscience we are 
 bound to demean ourselves honestly, and to live as 
 peaceable minded Christians and true protestant sub- 
 jects under the king and his government, giving to 
 Caisar the things that are Ctesar's and to God tlie things 
 that are God's. And then our solemn and serious pro- 
 testation is against the pope asantichristian, and against 
 those popish principles, wicked positions and practices, 
 viz. 
 
 Of deposing or murdering kings and princes excom- 
 municated by the pope. 
 
 Of disposing of their kingdoms, dominions, and coun- 
 tries. 
 
 Of authorizing foreign princes to invade and annoy 
 them. 
 
 Of absolving subjects from their allegiance and obe- 
 dience. 
 
 Of licensing any of them to bear arms, raise tumults, 
 or otFcr violence or hurt to their lawful kings, princes, 
 governments, or subjects. 
 
 Of treasons, traitorous conspiracies, and hellish plots 
 against king, government, parliament, oi- people. 
 
 Of that damnable position, that princes that be ex- 
 communicated or deprived by the pope, may be depos- 
 ed by their subjects or any other. 
 
 All which destructive principles and abominable prac- 
 tices, together with that antichristian spirit from whence 
 they proceed, we do in good conscience and in the sight 
 and presence of God who knows our hearts, utterly
 
 40 MEJIOIRS OF 
 
 abhor, protest, and testify against ; and therefore do 
 neither refuse nor scruple the said oath in favour to 
 these or any such principles. 
 
 What is now wanting that we must be run to pre- 
 munire, to lose our estates and liberties ? Is a peace- 
 able conversation wanting on our parts? No. Is the 
 duty of allegiance towards our king wanting? No. Are 
 we infected with popish, treacherous, treasonable, or 
 destructive principles against our king, or his govern- 
 ment or people? No; God knows the innocency of 
 our hearts and intentions, and men know our peaceable 
 conversations. What then is the matter, that we must 
 be so severely dealt withal, to the uttermost rigour of 
 the law, to be deprived of all outward liberties, pro- 
 perties, estates, livelihoods, and all our outward com- 
 forts in this world ? Are we guilty of any such essen- 
 tial offence or capital crime, in our not coming under 
 the circumstance of an oath, as may justly and natu- 
 rally merit such severity ? No, surely. The case is 
 brought to a near point, and reduced to a very narrow 
 compass. 
 
 An innocent, honest, quiet, and well meaning man, 
 both towards the king, his government, and people ; he 
 is truly principled in his duty ; he is real and honest in 
 his heart towards his protestant prince ; he is a real 
 protestant against the pope and all popish antichristian 
 positions and destructive practices; he not only per- 
 forms his duty of allegiance in his peaceable conversa- 
 tion, but also declares it in the sight of God and men, 
 and is willing to sign and subscribe such declaration of 
 his duty of allegiance, if he may not otherwise be believ- 
 ed ; only he conscientiously scruples to say, I swear, 
 and to kiss the book, to make his declaration an oath ; 
 for want only of which circumstance and ceremony, 
 this poor innocent man and sincere protestant must be 
 run to a premunirc, his liberty lost, and the little 
 estate or substance he has must be forfeited and all 
 taken from him ; his poor wife and small children left 
 desolate, wholly impoverished and want bread ; his
 
 G. WIIITEHKAD. 41 
 
 wife must go mourning and wringing her hands, and 
 sheddins of tears night and dav, for the hard measure 
 she has met withal, and her ciiildren dolclully crymg 
 and mourning for want of bread ! 
 
 Where is now either conscience, equity, reason, jus- 
 tice, or mercy ? Were it not very inhuman thus to de- 
 stroy innocent and harmless protestants, and thereby 
 gratify the popish spirit and party, merely because 
 such protestants are afraid of an oath ? they dare not 
 swear. And how is the real intent and end of the law 
 answered, by such severe and inhuman dealings with 
 innocent protestants ; who never were impeached nor 
 justly chargeable either with treasonable attempts, 
 principles, or practices ? They cannot be detected ei- 
 ther in actual treason, or in being infected with any 
 treasonable principles by any of their teachers or others; 
 and therefore, no such persons or people as those laws 
 of premunire were really intended against, tliough such 
 can escape them. We can appeal to God, angels, and 
 all just impartial men this is our case ; we arc not the 
 people which, in point of equity or justice, the law 
 could ever be intended against; we are of no such de- 
 structive principles oi' practices, as either the nature of 
 the oath points at and intends, or the statute o(" picmu- 
 nire, 16 K. 2, c. 5, was provided against; unto which 
 statute both that of the third of king James, c. 4, and 
 sevenih of king James, c. G, do refer, for the penalty of 
 a premunire upon persons refusing to swear to the 
 declaration of their allegiance. Let that of 10 R. 
 2, c. 5, be considered, as to the nature and intent 
 thereof. 
 
 George Whitehead thus continues his narrative. 
 
 It was very observeable, that before the dissolution of 
 that long parliament in king Charles the Second's reign, 
 which tnade sundry acts against us, there was a great 
 alteration in its disposition, being much turned against 
 persecuting dissenting protestants, especially by those 
 
 D 2
 
 42 MEMOIKS OF 
 
 laws made against popish recusants ; and there was 
 certainly an overruling power and hand of the Lord 
 God in that alteration and change of the spirit of that 
 parliament, to compassion rather than persecution. He 
 that standeth in the congregation of the mighty, and 
 judgeth among the gods, did certainly judge and plead 
 for the cause of the innocent sufferers under the great 
 and long persecutions that had been upon them. And 
 it was also remarkable, that some time before the said 
 long parliament was dissolved, many of our old adver- 
 saries and rigid persecutors therein were removed by 
 death, and new members of better spiiits and tempers 
 chosen in their stead ; insomuch that before that par- 
 liament was ended, it was so changed that it appeared 
 almost like anew house of commons. 
 
 After which, the ensuing parliaments appeared more 
 and more considerate, and inclined to moderation and 
 charity towards dissenting protestants; and such were 
 we esteemed, being publicly manifest by our plain testi- 
 mony against popery. For towards the conclusion of the 
 aforesaid long parliament, which was so nmch altered 
 for the better by new elections, &c. a grand committee 
 of the whole house was appointed, to enquire into the 
 case of the Quakers suffering by those old laws made 
 against popish recusants, in the reigns of queen Eliza- 
 beth and king James the first. Divers of us aj)peared 
 before that committee, among whom were William 
 Mead, William Penn,* myself, with some others- ; and 
 
 * The attention of tho parliament, was drawn to the considcra^ 
 lion of the discrimination of Protestant dissenters in general from 
 Papists, and William Penn presented petitions to both houses, pray- 
 ins; that in the discriminating clause, tho solcum declaration of a 
 Quaker mifrht bo taken instead of his oath. 
 
 Two speeches of his before the committee on this occasion are 
 preserved, in v/hich he strongly denied the imputation of popery, ■ 
 and at the same time dared to speak his mind as to the error of per- 
 secuting any person wkata-cr for tlieir conscientious belief. The 
 following passages from his speeches may probably be agreeable 
 to the reader. 
 
 After speaking of tho abuse which had been heaped upon liim- 
 sclf particularly, as a papist, and even as an emissary from Homo
 
 G.. WHITEHEAD. 43 
 
 two things were inquired of us, or which we were to 
 inform the said comnjittec of. 
 
 1. If we owned ourselves to be protestant dissenters? 
 
 2. How we sujfered by laws made against popish 
 recusants? 
 
 In both which we fully satisfied the committee, and 
 our case was generally considered unjust as well as il- 
 
 and in pay from the pope, he says : " Nay, some zealots for the 
 Protestant religion have been so far gone in this mistake, as not 
 only to think ill of us and decline our conversation, but to take 
 courage to themselves to prosecute us for a sort of concealed Pa. 
 pists ; and tlie truth is, that what with one thing and what with 
 another, we have been as the wool-sacks and common whipping 
 stock of the kingdom. All laws liave been let loose upon us, as if 
 the design were not to reform but to dtslroy \is ; and this not for 
 what wu are, but for what we are not. It is liard that we must 
 thus bear the stripes of another interest, and be their proxy in pun- 
 ishment. But mark ! I would not be mistaken ; I am far from 
 thinking it fit, because I exclaim again.st the injustice of whipping 
 Quakers for Papists, that P.ipists should be wliipt for their con- 
 sciences. No; for though the hand preteiided to be lifted up 
 against them hath, I know not by what discretion, lighted heavily 
 upon us ; and we complain ; yet we do not mean that any should 
 take a tresh aim at them, or that they should come in our room ; 
 for we must give the liberty we ask, and cannot be false to our 
 principles, though it were to relieve ourselves ; for we have good 
 will to all men, and would have none sulfer for a truly sober and 
 conscientious dissent on any hand." 
 
 Towards the conclusion ho says : " I do here solemnly declare, 
 in the presence of Almighty God, and before you all, that the pro- 
 fession 1 now make and the Society I now adhere to, have been so 
 far from altering that protestant judgment I had, that I am not 
 conscious to myself, of having rcccdedfrom an t'o/aof any one prin- 
 ciple, maintained by those first protestants and reformers of Ger- 
 many, and our own martyrs at home, against the see of Rome. On 
 the contrary, I do with great truth assure you, that we are of the 
 same negative faith with the ancient Protestant Church ; and upon 
 occasion shall bo ready, by God's assistance, to make it appear, 
 that wo are of the same belief as to the most fundamental articles 
 of her creed too ; and therefore it is we think it hard, that though 
 we deny, in common with her, those doctrines of Rome so strenu- 
 ously /;ro/(«/f(f against, whence the name Protestants, v.o should ba 
 so unhappy as to suiior, and that with extreme severity, by thoso 
 very laws on purpose made against the maintainers of those doc- 
 trines wiiich wo so deny." Clarksons Life of IV. Penn, vol. 1, 
 page 2-^1. Editor.
 
 44 MEMOIKS OF 
 
 legal ; since we suffered as popish recusants, when we 
 were manifest to be real protcstants, and the papists 
 were indulged and went free; though for our parts we 
 envied not their liberty, although we dec] ly sullered 
 in their stead. 
 
 It was very remarkable, that while our persecutors 
 were persecuting us upon the Conventicle Act, and 
 statutes made against popish recusants, and unjustly 
 aspersing our religious assemblies, as being seditious 
 conventicles and very dangerous to plot and contrive 
 insurrections, &c. ; about that very time, discovery was 
 made of the popish plot. 
 
 This plot being strictly inquired into by the com- 
 mons in parliament, great information was given about 
 it ; and in the address of both houses of parliament to 
 the king, complaint was made against the conspirators 
 in tliese wortis, \'v/.. " A popish party, who have not 
 only plotted and intended the destruction of your ma- 
 jesty's royal person, but the total subversion of the 
 government and true leligion established among us," 
 &c. 
 
 From which it ir.ay be observed, that it was not in 
 anv of the Quaker's meetings, nor in the meetings of 
 anv other dissenting protestants, that this conspiracy or 
 plot was found; but among a popish party. How un- 
 just was it therefore, so severely to perseoote tlie j)eo- 
 ple called Quakers, and violently to interrupt their 
 religious meetings, under pretence of being seditious 
 and dangerous to [)lot and contiive insurrecHons, to 
 impri.von their persons, to fine them, and often to spoil 
 th(;ir goods'? And not only to treat them thus, but to 
 prosecute them upon those laws made against popish 
 recusants and not against innocent protestants ; even 
 whilst, as it is said, '* this restless |)arty (meaning of 
 papists) not eonteni uith the great liberty they had a 
 long time enjoyed, to exercise their own religion pri- 
 vately among themselves, to partake of an equal free- 
 dom of their persons and estates with your majesty's 
 protestant subjects, and of an advantage above them
 
 G. WIHTEnEAD. 46 
 
 in being excused from chargeable offices and employ- 
 ments," &c. So that it then appeared to the parHa- 
 ment, that tiie papists escaped the penalties of those 
 old laws made against them, for tlieir absence from their 
 parish churches, much more than the people called 
 (Quakers could, who deeply sufTcrcd thereby. 
 
 After the discovery of the said popish plot, and the 
 impeachment, trial, and condemnation of William Lord 
 Viscount Stafford, in December, 1680, the parliament 
 thought it very necessary to consider and provide some 
 means to increase the interest of all protestants, and 
 strengthen and unite them in interest and affection, for 
 the better security of the kingdom and government; 
 which had been long weakened and greatly injured by 
 persecution. 
 
 Then the parliament bethought themselves of pre- 
 paring and bringing in a bill for dissenting protestants. 
 In the votes of the house of commons, the 16th day of 
 December, 1680, there is this, viz. 
 
 "A bill for exempting his majesty's protestant sub- 
 jects, dissenting from the Church of England, from the 
 penalties of certain laws, was read the first time." 
 
 This bill was read a second time, and it was " re- 
 solved, that the said bill be committed upon the debate 
 of the house, to the committee to whom the bill for 
 uniting his majesty's protestant subjects is committed 
 upon the debate of the house." 
 
 Divers Friends attended the committee some consi- 
 derable time that winter, about tlie said bill, both early 
 and late ; desiring that it might be made etrectual for 
 our just liberty and freedom from persecution, and clear 
 from all clauses and provisoes which might in any way 
 be a snare to us, or contrary to our tender consciences ; 
 and to answer the end intended both by the title and 
 preamble; the title being, "A bill of case to all pro- 
 testant dissenters ;" and tlie preamble thus : " Foras- 
 much as some ease to tender consciences in the exer- 
 cise of religion, may be an effectual means to unite his
 
 46 JiKMoins OF 
 
 majesty's protestant subjects in interest and affection, 
 which is highly necessary in this time of imminent 
 danger from the common enemy the papists, be it en- 
 acted," &,c. 
 
 Which bill contained divers clauses which are in the 
 act of the first of king William the Tliird, for exempt- 
 ing protestant dissenters from the Church of England, 
 from the penalties of certain laws, that is, of those 
 made against popish recusants and conventicles, where- 
 by we the said people chiefly suffered ; and also in the 
 said bill this special exemption was made in our fa- 
 vour, viz. 
 
 " And whereas there are certain other persons, dis- 
 senters from the Church of England, which scruple 
 taking any oath. 
 
 " Be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, that every 
 such person shall make and subscribe the aforesaid 
 declaration, and also this declaration of allegiance fol- 
 lowing," &c. 
 
 The first being the declaration mentioned in a stat- 
 ute, made in the twentieth year of king Charles the 
 Second, entitled, " An act to prevent papists from sit- 
 ting in either house of parliament." 
 
 The second being the declaration of allegiance, with- 
 out taking the oath : which divers Friends have for- 
 merly proffered, being willing to sign the declaration 
 without swearing to it, or using any of the words which 
 render it an oath, as I swear, this oath, &c. or the final 
 imprecation of, " so help me Cod," which more fully 
 makes it an oath, together with kissing the book. 
 
 As we were to be exempted from these, we esteem- 
 ed it a favour then intended us; ti)Ough it could not in 
 that parliament and reign of king Charles the Second, 
 be brought into an act ; yet there was some honest and 
 good beginning, which afterward, in the reign of king 
 William the Third, upon more mature deliberation was 
 made more effectual. 
 
 The chairman of that committee which sat upon the 
 said bill, was the lord Finch, since earl of Nottingham,
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 47 
 
 who then appeared favourable and friendly to us ; and 
 for promoting the said bill into an act, if it could have 
 been, in that parliament ; and to some of us since that, 
 he has positively declared his opinion to be for tolera- 
 tion, without which neither we nor their church are 
 safe. 
 
 In the said committee we met with some interrup- 
 tion, by tv/o or three members who were favourers of 
 the Presbyterians and Independents' societies ; they 
 olfering terms of (he ease intended in the said bill, in 
 behalf of their friends the Presbyterians and Indepen- 
 dents, which we the people called Quakers could not 
 assent to, namely, the taking the oaths of supremacy 
 and allegiance. And if they had gotten what they 
 offered, inserted in the bill or act, as terms of ease to 
 dissenting protcstants, we well knew we should have 
 been excluded, and still exposed to persecution and 
 sufferings. 1 was indeed burdened when they made 
 such an offer, because I was sensible it tended to the 
 injury of many other conscientious protestant dissen- 
 ters. 
 
 Wherefore on the same occasion I quickly went both 
 to colonel Birch and Alderman Love, and cleared my 
 conscience to them against what they had offered ; 
 knowing it would be very uneasy to truly conscientious 
 dissenters, to have the oath of supremacy imposed upon 
 them ; and thereby to swear, that they utterly declare 
 and testify in their conscience, that the king's liighness 
 is the onlv supreme governor of this realm, &c. as well 
 in all spiritual or ecclesiastical things, or cases, as tem- 
 poral, &c. How to reconcile with this oath, their dis- 
 senting in spiritual or ecclesiastical matters from the 
 Church of England, I knew not, neither did I find they 
 could tell or demonstrate; nor how they could promise, 
 that to their power they would assist and defend all 
 jurisdictions, privileges, pre-eminences, and authorities 
 granted or belonging to the king, his heirs and succes- 
 sors, or united and annexed to the imperial crown of 
 this realm.
 
 48 MEMOins OF 
 
 1 did both seriously and tenderly clear my con- 
 science in the matter to them ; for I wished well to the 
 men. After all our endeavours to have the said bill of 
 ease passed with safety into an act, and our attendance 
 on that parliament, the king's dissolving the same pre- 
 vented it. 
 
 One circumstance 1 took particular notice of: one 
 night when we were attending the said committee, Sir 
 Christopher Musgrave came and complained to the 
 committee, against the severe usage of many of our 
 Friends ; telling the committee the prisons were filled 
 with them, and how many for small matters were ex- 
 communicated and imprisoned ; and what a shame and 
 scandal it was to their Church, to use the Qakers so 
 hardly for such small matters, &.c. ; or to the same 
 effect. 
 
 I little expected he would have then appeared openly 
 an advocate so far for our suffering Friends, being a 
 person who professed much zeal for their Church ; yet 
 he saw it was not for its honour, to be guilty of such 
 severe persecution. 
 
 Although that parliament did not pass the act intend- 
 ed for the ease of protestant dissenters, yet before their 
 dissolution they passed a vote against persecution. 
 
 It was resolved in the house of commons : " That it 
 is the opinion of this house, that the prosecution of pro- 
 testant dissenters upon the penal laws,* is at this time 
 grievous to the subject, a weakening of the protestant 
 interest, an encouragement to popery, and dangerous 
 to the peace of the kingdom." 
 
 Being sensible the Lord was pleased to open the eyes 
 of the parliament, to see what a popish design it was, 
 for a protestant church, so called, to prosecute protes- 
 tants ; we were the more concerned at that time to 
 
 * Although these laws were originally designed against tlie Pa- 
 pists, yet all persons who did not go to church, and did not receive 
 the sacrament once a year, were liable to their penalties. 
 
 Edilor.
 
 G. WnlTEHEAD. 49 
 
 attend the parliament, and to encourage their endea- 
 vours against persecution ; to frustrate the design of 
 popery, which is persecution and violent coercion. The 
 zeal then stirring in the government against the same, 
 deserved to be countenanced, though it had not the de- 
 sired effect. 
 
 However just and good motions and endeavours, may 
 for a time be overruled and frustrated, they will in 
 time revive and break forth again, and be made to 
 take effect by a Divine overruling power and provi- 
 dence, as has in our days appeared. Thanks be to God 
 who has opened the eyes of the government on sundry 
 occasions, especially in latter times, against popery and 
 persecution, which are both one in nature and ground : 
 for persecution for conscience is popery, whatever 
 church, people, or profession are for it or abet it ; they 
 are drunk and blind, and shall drink of the wine of the 
 wrath of God. 
 
 Another instance of the parliament's design to re- 
 move persecution, was the passing a bill in both houses, 
 entitled, "An act for the repeal of a statute made in 
 the 35th year of the reign of queen Elizabeth ;" and 
 taking notice thereof in the ensuing parliament at Ox- 
 ford, in the vote of 24 die martii, 1680-81, that it was 
 not presented to his majesty, as the rest of the bills 
 were, for his royal assent. And also it was resolved, 
 that the house would next day take into consideration, 
 by what means the said bill miscarried. 
 
 According to which order, in the next day's votes it 
 is declared : 
 
 " That the house took into consideration, the matter 
 relating to the bill which passed both houses in the last 
 parliament, entitled, an act for the repeal of a statute 
 made in the 35th year of the reign of queen Elizabeth j 
 but was not tendered to his majesty for his royal 
 assent.* 
 
 * Burnet says: " On the day of the prorogation, the bill ought 
 to have been offered to the king ; but the clerk of the crown, by 
 
 VOL. II. E
 
 50 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 How this bill came to miscarry we did not hear ; 
 whether designedly mislaid or stolen, was questioned. 
 It was pity it was not presented and passed, as both 
 parliaments desired, viz- that in 1G80 at Westminster, 
 and that at Oxford 1G81. For if the said statute of 
 the 35th of queen Elizabeth had been utterly repealed, 
 it had given a blow to the design of persecution and 
 popery, which is greatly strengthened thereby ; it 
 being a precident and plea for the popish church to 
 use their most severe persecution against protestants, 
 even unto death, for their religion and dissent from the 
 Church of Rome. The said statute of the 35th of 
 queen Elizabeth being a sanguinary law, to force dis- 
 senters to abjure the realm upon pain of death ; and 
 in her days several were put to death. 
 
 And there appears as much reason that that severe 
 and sanguinary law should be disannulled and abro- 
 gated, as there was for the utter abolishment of the 
 writ, de hcsrelico comhurendo, and all proceedings 
 thereupon, with all punishment by death in pursuance 
 of any ecclesiastical censures ; which were so abolished 
 by the statute of the 29th Car. 2. ch. 9. 
 
 For as the popish hierarchy and governments unjustly 
 turned the execution of the said writ against the 
 protestant martyrs, so they were as likely to turn the 
 said statute of queen Elizabeth 35, against the protes- 
 tant dissenters ; and there was the same reason for the 
 repealing of one as the other. 
 
 However, it was a mercy of God to the nation, to 
 raise up a contrary spirit to that of persecution in the 
 parliament in those days. And yet that furious spirit 
 remained among many of the clergy, and the irreh- 
 gious followers and members of their church, who were 
 still watching for opportunities to renew persecution 
 against honest innocent people, especially against us, 
 
 the king's paillcular order, withdrew the bill. The king had no 
 mind openly to deny it, but he had less mind to pass it." 
 
 Editor.
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 51 
 
 and to enforce a conformity in church and worship 
 with them, contrary to our consciences ; we being 
 under a Divine obligation to worship God in spirit and 
 truth, and not in human traditions, after the command- 
 ments, doctrines, or precepts of men. 
 
 It is true we had some limes of respite and ease from 
 severe persecutions in those days, upon the king's said 
 declaration for hberty to tender consciences ; yet those 
 times were but short, in comparison of the long con- 
 tinuance of those renewed persecutions which we suf- 
 fered in those days. 
 
 Informers, like beasts of prey, were lurking, creeping, 
 and sculking about in many or most parts of the nation, 
 where our Friends had meetings for the worship of 
 God ; being encouraged by thos-e of the clergy and per- 
 secuting magistrates, who esteemed them useful ser- 
 vants of their church* to enforce conformity, though 
 without conviction of conscience. Several of the priests 
 also turning informers and assisting to distui'b our reli- 
 gious meetings in divers places ; all which ministered 
 encouragement to such vile persons, in their unchristian 
 and destructive work against innocent families and 
 people. 
 
 Some of the priests even pleaded for and preached 
 up coercion in matters of religion, from those texts, Ezra 
 vii. 26, and Rum. xiii. 1,2; though miserably perverted 
 when applied to uphold persecution for matters of 
 conscience, comparing both texts with the decree of 
 
 * William Croucli and I, anno 16f!3, having some discourse with 
 Dr. Sancroft, Archbishop of Canterbury, at his palace at Lam- 
 beth, about the groat sufferings of our Friends by informers, and I 
 telling him what wicked persons they were, and that many of thera 
 had forsworn themselves, and deserved to be indicted for perjury ; 
 and what a dishonour it was to their Church, to employ such 
 agents to force people to a conformity by persecution and spoil, 
 &c. ; to excuse them his answer was : " There must be some crook- 
 ed timber used in building a ship," or " A ship cannot be built 
 without some crooked timber in it." Was not this a learned and 
 apt comparison, to show what sort of timber must needs help to 
 build and support their Church 1
 
 52 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 Artaxerxes king of Persia, and the great encourage- 
 ment and liberty of conscience which he granted, and 
 gave to Ezra and Israel, with respect to the worship 
 and service of their God according to their religion ; 
 as fully appears in the same chapter. 
 
 If an emperor, king, or chief ruler be a papist or an 
 idolater, and would force me to be of his religion, or 
 conform to his way and manner of worship, upon some 
 great penalties or pains, even of death itself; I must 
 not therefore comply with him or be subject to his will 
 therein, if I be a true Christian, but stand fast in that 
 liberty wherewith Christ hath set me free ; or other- 
 wise 1 should fJFill under miserable bondage, and lose my 
 inward peace with God. And then what good would 
 all the world do me 1 1 would rather make Moses's 
 choice, to sufler allliction with the people of God, than 
 to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short season ; and at 
 last end in tribulation and anguish of soul. 
 
 It was observable, that when the informers were let 
 loose and countenanced by authority against us, they 
 generally sought more after our estates than the con- 
 finement of our persons, because imprisonment would 
 not be their gain; although many of our Friends re- 
 mained in prisons, as appears by the following petition. 
 
 TO THE KING. 
 
 The humble petition of above a thousand prisoners, 
 commonly called Quakers, 
 
 Showeth : 
 
 That our renewed hardships, our continued and in- 
 creasing imprisonments, do occasion this our humble 
 complaint and request ; of which we intreat the king's 
 favourable acceptance and tender resentments. We do 
 solemnly declare, that we know no other cause for our 
 strait confinements and hard usage, than what concerns 
 our tender consciences, in serving and worshipping Al- 
 mighty God that made us ; being well known to be per- 
 sons of quiet conversation and peaceable behaviour, and
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 53 
 
 clear in the sight of God of all seditious contrivances, 
 plots, and conspiracies, and are not evilly affected to- 
 wards the king's person or government. Ilowbeit, seve- 
 ral gaols are filled, without regard to sex, age, or condi- 
 tion, not only to the impairing our healths, but endan- 
 gering many of our lives ; many having already died 
 prisoners, the greatest part of late committed for our 
 peaceable religious meetings ; many of us under fines 
 for that account, and upon the act of 13 and 14 Car. 2. 
 c. 1, extending also to banishment. In some gaols, many 
 of us crowded in nasty holes and mixed among felons ; 
 many under sentence of premunire, not for refusing fi- 
 delity or allegiance to the king, but only not swearing 
 the same for conscience' sake ; many under sentence of 
 excommunication, committed on writs of excom. cap. 
 &c. for nonconformity, &c. and have undergone long 
 and tedious imprisonments. By which confinements 
 and hardships, many innocent and industrious families 
 are left destitute and in distress ; many honest trades- 
 men, husbandmen, and farmers, greatly discouraged and 
 spoiled in their trades and livelihoods; and many poor 
 families depending on them for employment, now for 
 lack thereof exposed to great penury and want. Be- 
 sides the violence and v^^oful spoil made upon many, both 
 in city and country, by informers, persecutions, <Slc. ; 
 and for twenty pounds a month, and two-thirds of es- 
 tates seized into the king's hands, &c.; which will un- 
 avoidably force many to shut up shops and leave off their 
 trades and farms, &c. (as some have done already) if 
 not timely relieved. 
 
 We therefore, who are concerned in the sufferings 
 aforesaid, do in all Christian humility request, that the 
 king in his princely compassion, will please to take our 
 distressed case into his tender consideration, and afford 
 us relief from these hardships and imprisonments, as he 
 hath formerly done for many of our suffering Friends, 
 which we do thankfully acknowledge ; we being sincere- 
 ly desirous, by the grace of God, to live peaceably and 
 inoffensively under the king and his government. 
 
 E 2
 
 54 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 Wherefore, according as our conversations are found 
 concurring with this our solemn profession, we humbly 
 crave liberty, that we may provide for our distressed 
 families, and be capable of rendering to Caisar those 
 things that are Cesar's, and to God the things that are 
 God's ; according to our Christian principle and persua- 
 sion. 
 
 We did not only in this manner labour to influence the 
 king with a sense of the general case of our Friends' 
 sufferings, but also were very free and desirous to give 
 him particular and plain instances thereof; in which 
 concern 1 was many times very free to appear before 
 the king himself; especially when desired to assist such 
 Friends as were concerned for the sufTerers, when they 
 have come to London to apply to him in their behalf; 
 and also when we have had certain accounts of great 
 oppressions sent from several parts of the nation, 1 have 
 been stirred in spirit and desirous to acquaint the king 
 therewith ; that he might be inexcusable, and not plead 
 ignorance of the miseries of those his innocent subjects. 
 
 In my appearing before the king and council, as by 
 the following account, our Friends Lawrence Steel and 
 Charles Jones, jun. of Bristol, were with me ; being 
 come to London on purpose to seek relief or some ease 
 for our Friends, who were then closely confined and 
 crowded in prison in that city.* 
 
 * In this time of persecution (1682) Bristol was almost preemi- 
 nent in sufferiniT. The meetings of Friends were disturbed in the 
 most brutal manner ; and by the proceedings against them many 
 families were ruined. So many also were committed to prison, 
 that at length tiiere was no more room in the gaols. About fifty 
 persons were crowded into one room, which was so nasty that one 
 of the aldermen said : " If lie had a dog which he loved, he would 
 not put him tlinre." Four physicians of Bristol signed a certificate, 
 declaring that the closeness of the prisoners' confinement and their 
 want of room for rest, was in danger of inducing infectious dis- 
 tempers. The sheriff', however, who was the main actor in the per- 
 secution, disregarded all representations; and there appears to 
 have been but little commisseration excited in the public mind, in 
 behalf of the poor Quakers. So desperately wicked was the gaoler,
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 55 
 
 Being willing lo assist them what I could in solicita- 
 tion, as I was deeply and compassionately atfected to- 
 ward our said Friends, I acquainted some of the lords 
 of the privy council, as Prince Rupert the lord president, 
 and lord chancellor with the case; and desired we 
 might be heard before the king and council the follow- 
 ing council day, which was granted us. Prince Rupert 
 and the lord president appeared most compassionate 
 and tender toward our Friends, when they understood 
 the extremity of their sufferings ; and the lord chancel- 
 lor moderate. 
 
 The substance of passages discoursed before the king 
 and council, relating to the extreme sulFerings of the 
 people called Quakers, in the city of Bristol. George 
 Whitehead, Lawrence Steel, and Charles Jones, jun. 
 being called in before the king and council, the 17th of 
 the 12th month, 1681-2. 
 
 Some question arising about taking off their hats, the 
 clerk of the council. Sir Thomas Doleman, came to the 
 door to take them off, but was forbidden, it was said by 
 the king ; so they were concluded to come in before 
 the king and council with their hats on ; which they 
 did accordingly. 
 
 Some present said : " Go up to the king ;" being at 
 the head of the board. 
 
 George Whitehead then went nearer the king. 
 
 George Whitehead's introductory request. 
 
 " That our complaint and suffering case may be 
 heard and considered abstractedly from those religious 
 circumstances we are under, which may seem disgust- 
 ful to you, that we may have justice done us. 
 
 " These persons, Lawrence Steel and Charles Jones, 
 jun. are come from Bristol, on purpose to seek relief of 
 the king from the hard usage our Friends suffer under 
 in that city, beyond the severity of the law, as we con- 
 ceive. 
 
 that when the prisoners complained for want of room, he said to 
 his man, if he could but shut the door it would be well enough. — 
 See Sewel, » Editor,
 
 56 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 " They are able to speak to matters of fact, from 
 their own knowledge, liow our Friends are used ; we 
 intreat the king that they may be heard ; and for mat- 
 ter of law, we shall leave that for you to judge of." 
 
 One in council. " What reason have we to believe 
 their words against other men's oaths, who are sworn 
 for the king ?" 
 
 George Whitehead. " We intreat that they may be 
 heard, to give their accounts on those particulars com- 
 plained of in our petition, which is delivered in before 
 you and I suppose read ; and then we shall refer the 
 credit of the matters complainedof to your consciences, 
 that accordingly we may have justice done us." 
 
 King. " Your petition is not now read ; would you 
 have it read 1 It has been read before." 
 
 Lawrence Steel. " This contains further matter than 
 what has yet been read before you." 
 
 Lord Cliancellor. " Of what do you complain ?" 
 
 Lavurence Steel. " We complain of the havoc and 
 spoil made upon the freehold and tenement, and break- 
 ing open closets, boxes, &c." 
 
 Lord Chancellor. '' What, you mean of the meet- 
 ing room ?" 
 
 Lawrence Steel. " Nay, the tenement adjoining to 
 the meeting room ; we complain of the rude multitudes 
 haling and tearing women's clothes, and offering shame- 
 ful incivilities to them; also their pulling an innocent 
 man's coat off his back, and taking money out of his 
 pocket," &,c. [Of this, though he had more to speak, 
 they seemed not willing to hear it.] 
 
 Lord Chancellor, " Of whom do you complain?" 
 
 Lawrence Steel. " We are loath to recriminate per- 
 sons by name." 
 
 Lord Chancellor. " But you must tell us who. Is 
 it the mayor?" &c. 
 
 George Whitehead. " Let them have some of their 
 names." 
 
 Lawrence Steel. " John Helliar and sheriff Knight, 
 with a rude multitude."
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. ' 57 
 
 George Whitehead. " It appears that the sheriff and 
 John Helliar, and other officers, have been most busy, 
 and have encouraged the rude multitude in their abu- 
 sive and riotous proceedings, and forced many to gaol 
 directly from their meeting, at their will and pleasure, 
 without any examination before a justice, or warrant of 
 commitment ; and then have so crowded and filled the 
 gaol, that the prisoners have not room to take their na- 
 tural rest ; but some are forced to sit up in the nights." 
 
 Lord Chancellor. " What would you have the king 
 do ? Would you have him relieve you from the law ?" 
 
 George Whitehead. "No; we desire the king may 
 relieve us from such irregular proceedings, as we con- 
 ceive the law does not warrant." 
 
 Lord Chancellor. " Why then do you not take 
 course at law, and relieve yourselves by law ?" 
 
 George Whitehead. " The prisoners and sufferers in 
 Bristol, are disabled from relieving themselves by course 
 of law." 
 
 Lord Chancellor. How are they disabled? What 
 reason can you give that they are so disabled ?" 
 
 George Whitehead. " Several reasons, as, 
 
 " First, they are prosecuted on the Conventicle Act, 
 made the 22nd year of the king ; and all the relief al- 
 lowed us by law, is by way of appeal : and it admits of 
 appeal to no higher court, than the court of sessions 
 belonging to the same county, which is the county of 
 Bristol, where there is no probability of relief upon ap- 
 peal ; because there they must appeal to their adver- 
 saries, as some there in authority are ; and John Knight, 
 sheriff, is an extreme adversary, and has been violent 
 against them; and he has return of the juries accord- 
 ing to his own purpose. " 
 
 King. "' Can you not procure a London jury then V' 
 &c.* 
 
 George Whitehead. " Besides, if they make their ap- 
 
 * Supposed to be meant of the jury that acquitted the earl of 
 Shaftsbury, and some others, upon trial in London.
 
 58 MEMOIKS OF 
 
 peal, they are liable to have the oath of allegiance put 
 to them, to prevent prosecuting llicir appeal; for such 
 kind of precipitant course hath been used against us." 
 
 One in council. " He counts the tender of the oath 
 of allegiance a precipitancy," &c. 
 
 George Whitthcad. " No, it is the manner of requir- 
 ing it, 1 mean ; when it is done with design to antici- 
 pate the appellant and prevent the trial of his appeal. 
 
 " Secondly, the riots and abuses that are committed 
 upon our Friends at their meetings, by tearing women's 
 scarfs, beating, throwing persons down, &c. which are 
 done by a rude company that are encouraged by the 
 constables and officers who should keep the peace : so 
 that there is none that will arrest or apprehend the 
 rioters, that we know of, because the officers take their 
 parts and animate them ; and the rioters and abusive 
 persons can readily escape in the crowd. 
 
 " The third reason ." 
 
 King. " And thirdly ; let us hear the third reason." 
 
 George Whitehead. " The third reason of their being 
 disabled is, for those of our Friends that are committed 
 to gaol ; though we conceive their commitment irregular, 
 yet if they should enter actions of false imprisonment 
 against those that committed them, they may be de- 
 stroyed in their strait and close confinement before 
 they can have relief by a course of law that way ; they 
 being so severely kept under hatches by their adver- 
 saries, if they should enter actions of false imprisonment 
 against them, that might be an occasion to them to re- 
 venge themselves the more severely on the prisoners in 
 the mean time." 
 
 One in council. " Seeing the conventicle act admits 
 of no appeal to any higher court than to the same court 
 of sessions for that county, why do you appeal or make 
 your complaint here? what would you have the king 
 do for you ?" 
 
 George Whitehead. " We desire the king, and you 
 of his council, tenderly to consider our sullbring case,
 
 G. WniTEUEAD. 59 
 
 and how far the king may reheve us from those irre- 
 gular proceedings that shall appear contrary to law." 
 
 Lord Chancellor. " You would have the king to 
 relieve you from the law, to interpose between you and 
 the law ; which he cannot do." 
 
 George IVkitehead. " No, under favour, lord chan- 
 cellor, that inference follows not from what is proposed 
 on our par(s ; we desire that the king would be pleased 
 to interpose between us and the destruction that attends 
 us, through the irregular and extreme proceedings of 
 those persons, who (whilst they pretend to put the king's 
 laws in execution, and in pursuance of an order from 
 him) exceed all the severity and bounds of the law : 
 our present complaint therefore lies, not against the law 
 or execution thereof simply ; but against the mal-ad- 
 ministration, the hard usage, and exorbitant proceed- 
 ings we met with, contrary to all law and justice as we 
 conceive." 
 
 Lord Chancellor. " Well, we have heard you ; you 
 may withdraw." 
 
 George Whitehead. *' May it please the king yet to 
 hear me a little farther, that the king and you his minis- 
 ters may understand how probable the truth of our 
 complaint is against those irregular and erroneous pro- 
 ceedings in Bristol, and how incident the justices there 
 are to commit error in their proceedings against our 
 Friends who suffer there ; please to take one instance, 
 viz. 
 
 " The most of their warrants of commitment, or mit- 
 timusses whereby our Friends are committed to gaol, 
 and whereof we have here copies, are defective and 
 wanting in two material points, as, 
 
 " First, the justices do not therein signify their law- 
 ful authority, as being the king's justices of the peace 
 before whom the prisoners were brought. And, 
 
 "Secondly, their command to the keeper of the 
 gaol for safe custody of the prisoners, is not given in the 
 king's majesty's name, but in their own private names ; 
 except that there is one named major, and one William
 
 60 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 Bristol ; the rest are only in their private or personal 
 names: no mention made in their mandamus to the 
 keeper, that these are in his majesty's name to will and 
 require you, &,c. but only they commit them in their 
 own private names. This we conceive is irregular and 
 unwarrantable in law ; and this I give only a? one in- 
 stance, to evince the probability of the truth of our com- 
 plaint, and that those justices are subject to err in their 
 proceedings in omitting such material points." 
 
 Lord Cliancellor. " Those defects are exceptions 
 pleadable, and they may be heard if they remove them- 
 selves by habeas corpus." 
 
 L. P. S. " That exception of yours will not serve 
 your turn." 
 
 Lord Chancellor. " You may withdraw, &c." 
 
 George Whitehead. " May it please the king and you 
 his ministers to observe this one thing, namely, that those 
 officers and rude persons in Bristol, who have done so 
 much violence and spoil to our Friends, pretend power 
 and authority from the king for such their proceedings; 
 and under pretext of an order from the king to put the 
 laws in execution, they take liberty to commit all their 
 disorders and abuses against our Friends, because of 
 their innocent meetings. 
 
 " Which being seriously considered, I hope the king 
 will see cause to do himself justice, and likewise you 
 his ministers will be concerned to do yourselves as well 
 as us justice, by putting some stop to these their destruc- 
 tive proceedings, the violence and spoil they make un- 
 der such pretence of the king's order and authority ; 
 pray let it be duly considered, whether or no thereby 
 they do not reflect upon the king, and dishonour him 
 before his people, whilst they render him the patron or 
 mover of these their riotous and oppressive proceedings 
 against the king's peaceable subjects ; and whether or 
 no they do not reflect upon you his ministers, tending 
 to render you suspicious in the eyes of the people ? I 
 hope, on serious and tender consideration of these things, 
 you will see cause to do yourselves and us justice.
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 61 
 
 " You have had experience of us, and of our peace- 
 able deportment towards the king and government for 
 above these twenty years ; it is very hard we should 
 now be thus severely used at this time a day ! 
 
 '* We have here a more large and particular state of 
 our suflfering case, which we desire you to receive and 
 take notice of." 
 
 Which case at large, being very fairly written in 
 several sheets of paper, on the one side of each sheet; 
 George Whitehead delivered to the council board, in 
 the king's presence ; where it was received and laid 
 down on the board, before the lord privy seal and lord 
 chancellor, &c. 
 
 At last George Whitehead thus concluded, viz. 
 
 " I pray God preserve the king, and direct you his 
 ministers, to do justly, and love mercy, and walk hum- 
 bly with God." 
 
 I do confess I was under a very weighty concern of 
 spirit, to use my earnest endeavours in solicitation, in 
 this heavy suffering case of our Bristol Friends, who 
 then were sorely oppressed and abused ; for it was a 
 time of very hot, resolved persecution against them. 
 
 And upon a thorough inspection into their case, and 
 viewing the copies of the warrants of commitment 
 against the prisoners, together with the accounts of the 
 riotous, shameful, and abusive work made against our 
 Friends at their meetings in that city ; 1 clearly per- 
 ceived both how invidious, inconsiderate, and ignorant 
 of law and justice the magistrates of that city were, 
 who were then most busy against our Friends and most 
 ready to grant warrants against them, either to impri- 
 son their persons or seize their goods, thereby to grati- 
 fy mercenary informers and the worst of persecutors ; 
 to the great dishonour and reproach of that city, which 
 formerly had been esteemed a place having more of 
 profession and religion in it than many others. 
 
 The king appearing affected with the innocency and 
 boldness of my pleading the sufferers' case, allowed me 
 the more liberty to plead it against the persecutors ; 
 
 VOL. II. T
 
 62 ME3I0IRS OF 
 
 and not only so, but he suffered us (Lawrence Steel, 
 Charles Jones, and myself) to stand, and me to plead be- 
 fore him and his council, with our hats on our heads all 
 the time, which was about three quarters of an hour. 
 And indeed the king had the more reason to suffer us 
 in that posture, seeing he would not permit our hats to 
 be taken off by the clerk of the council, when we were 
 called in before him, as we understood ; being minded 
 to give himself some pleasant diversion, by trying us in 
 our plainness and simplicity, agreeable to our profes- 
 sion and self-denying testimony. 
 
 In the years 1682 and 1683, George Whitehead ap- 
 pears to have been four times convicted under the Con- 
 venticle Act. In one of these cases, of which he has 
 left a particular account, on being brought before the 
 lord mayor for having preached at a meeting, this of- 
 ficer, instead of calling for his accusers, enquired of the 
 prisoner whether he did not preach at the meeting. 
 George Whitehead declined accusing himself; and on 
 the question being put again by one of the mayor's offi- 
 cers, he again declined ; and asked for his accusers. 
 At length two persons who apprehended him were call- 
 ed to give evidence, when the following imperfect tes- 
 timony was given by them. 
 
 A train-band-ofjicer. " I saw his lips go, but heard him 
 not what he said." 
 
 Constable. " 1 heard his voice, but could not tell 
 what he said so as to make sense of it ; only I heard 
 him mention Jesus Christ and the Spirit." 
 
 George Whitehead desired the lord mayor to notice, 
 how far the testimony fell short of establishing the 
 fact, which was constituted an offence by the act ; and 
 expressed a hope, that none would allow that to men- 
 tion Jesus Christ or the Spirit, was contrary to the 
 Liturgy of the Church of England. The plea of the 
 prisoner, however reasonable, proved unavailing; he 
 was fined twenty pounds, and distraint to a considera- 
 ble amount was made on his goods.
 
 G. MniTEIIEA.O. 63 
 
 On a subsequent occasion he was fined forty pounds; 
 (it being the second conviction before the same magis- 
 trate ;) without having been heard in his own defence 
 or summoned to appear to answer the charges against 
 him. The distraint was made with great violence ; 
 the constable, with two assistants, breaking open the 
 back shop door, and several chamber doors ; seizing, 
 says the narrative, " beds and bedding, (not leaving 
 him a bed to lie upon,) all, moderately valued, worth 
 twenty-one pounds ten shillings. Then they seized 
 linen, with a scrutoire, six cane bottomed chairs and 
 others, and a large looking-glass, value five pounds 
 eighteen shillings. Then they seized shop goods, cur- 
 rants and sugar, value five pounds twelve shillings; all 
 moderately valued by the owners, amounting to thirty- 
 three pounds. Though the goods so seized were not 
 suflfercd to be inventoried, weighed, or appraised be- 
 fore being carried away. 
 
 "Two of George AVhitehead's friends, to wit, John 
 Edge and Joseph Peckover, fairly endeavouring but to 
 persuade the constables to more moderation, and to suf- 
 fer an inventory of the goods before taken away, were 
 apprehended at the same time, and for no other cause ; 
 the constable swearing a riot against them, they were 
 committed to Newgate, and there continued for above 
 ten weeks, to their own and their families' great injury 
 and damage : the said Josepli being a Norfolk man, was 
 near eighty miles from home." 
 
 George Whitehead thought it right to appeal against 
 the conviction, under which the last distraint upon him 
 had been made ; and he obtained a reversal of the 
 magistrate's judgment. He could, however, obtain the 
 return of only eleven pounds, that being the amount 
 which had been paid into court as the sum made of 
 the articles distrained. In another case, wherein he 
 had been convicted by the recorder of London, he pro- 
 cured a respite of judgment, so that distraint was not 
 made ; and he succeeded, on appeal, in establishing the 
 illegality of the proceedings. He observes, that he was
 
 64 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 the more willing to seek justice, in these cases, by ap- 
 peal to a superior court, though at a heavy expense, 
 for the sake of many of his Fi'iends under similar pro- 
 secutions, through the agency of those beasts of prey the 
 informers. 
 
 George Whitehead made a pretty copious selection 
 of passages from the Liturgy of the Church of England, 
 to which he gave publicity, to show that the proceed- 
 ings of himself and his friends were not contrary to it ; 
 especially that the assembling together for mutual ex- 
 hortation and edification, for worshiping God in spirit 
 and in truth, without limitation to time or place, and 
 the liberty of ministering according to the ability re- 
 ceived, were recommended in several passages of the 
 Common Prayer Book.
 
 ( 65 ) 
 
 SECTION XV. 
 
 Sufferings of Friends confined in Norwich, and endeavours for their 
 release. — I'crsecution very severe. — G. Whitehead suffers by se- 
 vere distraints in 1683. — Sufferings of Friends in London, and 
 George Whitehead imprisoned in Newgate, 1684. 
 
 The sufferings of Friends confined in prisons still 
 continued to be very grccit ; and in few places, if any, 
 were they more severe than in the city of Norwich ; 
 where a considerable number of honest people were 
 closely confined in a low, nasty dungeon, twenty seven 
 steps below the guild-hall of the city. 
 
 George Whitehead has given the following account 
 of his own and his Friends exertions for their relief. 
 
 On the 22nd day of the 12th month, 1682-3, a state 
 of the case of the prisoners, commonly called Quakers, 
 in Norwich, Gloucester, Bristol, Yorkshire, and North- 
 ampton, directed to the king, with request for relief, 
 was delivered into the hands of the earl of Rochester, 
 by George Whitehead, with desire that he would please 
 to show it to the king; which he promised he would. 
 
 The 23rd George Whitehead again spake to carl of 
 Rochester, and desired him to show the said case both 
 to the king and duke ; which he promised he would do 
 and said : " I will read it to the king this night." 
 George Whitehead told him, that we arc advised to 
 deliver Norwich case singly by itself, to the council ; 
 which we intend to do this day. 
 
 Accordingly the same being the day the judges ap- 
 peared at council before they went their circuits, 
 George AVhitehcad and Gilbert Latcy then attending, 
 the case of Norwich suflfering Friends was delivered at 
 the council board by Sir Philip Lloyd, who was preen- 
 
 F 2
 
 66 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 gaged to present it and to move the reading of it, which 
 accordingly he did ; but was obstructed the reading by 
 some in council, on pretence that it was not a formal 
 petition, or not in the usual form. 
 
 The 24th of the twelfth month, 1682-3, George 
 Whitehead and Gilbert Latey went to the lord privy 
 seal, and spake to him about the said case of Norwich 
 prisoners. He told us : That notwithstanding the ob- 
 jection made in the council, the king recommended 
 moderation to the judges when they were below, and 
 enquiry into the state of the prisoners and their usage. 
 This he told us twice over. 
 
 A little after George Whitehead and Gilbert Latey 
 had spoken to the lord privy seal, they went up into the 
 gallery to speak with the king, at his coming out of 
 the park : where, after some time of waiting, the duke 
 and his attendants passed by to meet the king ; and 
 after a little space, the king and his attendants came 
 along the long gallery towards his lodgings. George 
 Whitehead then stepped up to the king without any 
 interruption, the whole company being civil, and thus 
 proceeded : 
 
 " May it please the king to grant us the favour of a 
 few words ; it is in behalf of many of the king's peace- 
 able subjects who are prisoners at Norwich, and there 
 like to be buried alive in holes and dungeons." 
 
 Kin^. " Can they not swear themselves out of 
 prison ?" 
 
 George Whitehead. " Under favour, such are not in 
 Society with us. We entreat the king to commisserate 
 this distressed case of the prisoners in Norwich, for they 
 are burying them alive in a dungeon under ground." 
 
 King. " Have you a paper ? K you have a paper 
 of their case, 1 will take it." 
 
 George Whitehead. " Yes, here is a paper ;" which 
 he delivered into the king's hand, and he gently took it. 
 
 George Whitehead proceeded : " They are a poor 
 harmless people, poor woolcombers, weavers, and 
 tradesmen, &.c. likely to be destroyed in prison, in holes
 
 G. wihtehead. 67 
 
 under ground ; we entreat the king not to suffer these 
 his peaceable subjects to be buried alive." 
 
 With more discourse which the said George White- 
 head then had with the king ; and 1 perceived these 
 last words took most hold upon him, viz. my entreat- 
 ing him not to suffer his peaceable subjects to be 
 buried alive. 
 
 Gilbert Latcy then stepped to the king, saying, " We 
 are the king's subjects that never did any thing against 
 him ; we have been peaceable, and we can truly say, 
 have served him and never were against him; yet our 
 Friends are great sulferers, and they lie in a dungeon 
 twenty-seven steps deep in the ground in Norwich: 
 wherefore we have the more earnestly sought their 
 relief." 
 
 My friend Gill)ert Latey, as well as myself, being 
 often tenderly affected with our Friends' deep suffer- 
 ings and hardships, spake to the king in very tender 
 affection, and a sense of the Lord's power and holy 
 fear ; which reached the king's heart and conscience, 
 and others about him, bevond his utterance or what he 
 could in words demonstrate. G. L. being also freely 
 resigned to accompany me, and, according to his ability, 
 to assist in those exercises and applications in the suf- 
 ferers' behalf; and we were often comforted together, 
 and assisted in our endeavours by the power of the 
 Lord, which we had special and very tender regard 
 unto ; and He thereby helped and strengthened us, to 
 his praise and our great comfort and encouragement : 
 glory to his excellent name and power for ever ! 
 
 After I had earnestly moved the king for relief of 
 our suffering Friends in Norwich, he gave some instruc- 
 tions about the prisoners to the judges, who were to go 
 the Norfolk circuit next following. Accordingly at 
 Norwich, judge Hugh Windham gave order that the 
 prisons or rooms therein should he viewed, where the 
 Quakers were confmcd, and affidavits to be made there- 
 of before a master in chancery ; which accordingly was 
 done by an attorney, and the affidavits were sent up to
 
 68 MLJIOIRS OP 
 
 me ; containing a true account of matter of fact, re- 
 lating to the places where our Friends were so miser- 
 ably confined. 
 
 Whereupon our Friend William Crouch went with 
 me to the said judge \Vindham, to deliver the affidavits 
 to him ; esteeming him the most proper person to take 
 cognizance thereof, it being obtained pursuant to his 
 order or advice at the assizes before ; that he might 
 acquaint the king therewith. But instead of so doing, 
 or of showing compassion to the sulfcrers, he refused to 
 receive or accept the affidavits which he himself had 
 ordered ; only he did a little look upon and read them, 
 or part of them, and fell to reproaching the meetings of 
 our Friends, as being riots and riotous, &.c. ; when they 
 were forcibly kept out of their meeting-house and met 
 peaceably in the street, and there stood quietly waiting 
 upon the Lord, in a peaceable and inoffensive posture. 
 For so our Friends at Norwich and other places did, as 
 I told the judge ; and that therefore such their peace- 
 able meetings could be no riots, nor riotous meetings, 
 there neither being any show of arms, nor menacing 
 words, nor any violence offered, nor any injury done to 
 the persons or properties of any others. 
 
 Upon which discourse the judge seemed offended ; 
 and standing up with his arms akimbo, and his hands 
 on his sides, answered : " You'll know the law better 
 than I, I warrant )'ou; but 1 will have you know, you 
 shall not be masters over the law, but the law shall be 
 master over you, so long as I live or have to do with 
 the law," &c. 
 
 I answered : " 1 will not compare with thee as to 
 knowledge and learning in the law ; thou hast had the 
 advantage of education therein, which I have not had ; 
 yet nevertheless, 1 have had occasion in my time, to 
 understand something of truth and justice, 6cc. having 
 been a sufferer myself, on a conscientious account, 
 under the several governments since we were a peo- 
 ple, both in Oliver Cromwell's days and since ; and 
 in all my sufferings and trials, I never saw cause to
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 69 
 
 change my judgment, or turn with the times ; but ra 
 ther, through all, to be the more confirmed in what 1 
 believe and profess respecting religion." 
 
 I also spake further and closely to him, how that he 
 had had an opportunity and power to have done our 
 suffering Friends in Norwich some kindness, in order to 
 their relief; and withal told him, that he and I, and 
 all men, must give account to the Great Judge of all, 
 for all our actions, and he for not relieving our poor 
 suffering Friends ; or to that purpose. And seeing he 
 would not accept the affidavits before mentioned, so as 
 to deliver the same to the king, I asked him : " What 
 we should do with them ?" He said ; " You may carry 
 them to my lord keeper," that is. North ; which advice, 
 though slightly given, 1 readily took hold of: having 
 cleared my conscience to him the said judge, who at 
 last carried himself more mildly towards us, than he 
 did in the former part of our discourse. 
 
 The next day William Crouch and I went to the said 
 lord keeper, at his house ; and being admitted to him 
 in his closet, I told him, by judge Windham's advice 
 we were come to him with certain affidavits from Nor- 
 wich, which the judge had given order for, concerning 
 the confinement of our Friends who were detained close 
 prisoners; and then delivered the affidavits to him. 
 Whereupon he began to accuse our Friends' meetings 
 with being riotous, much after the same manner judge 
 Windham had done. I fairly reasoned the case with 
 him a little while on our Friends' behalf, and after some 
 discourse told him, that we hoped he would present 
 those affidavits to the king, procured by judge Wind- 
 ham's order pursuant to the king's instructions. Where- 
 upon the keeper promised he would deliver them ; upon 
 which 1 was eased in my spirit, for that the king might 
 thereby see our Friends' hard usage in the gaol and 
 dungeon in Norwich the more confirmed, by such a 
 legal proof as ho could not deny. Not doubting the 
 keeper's performance of his promise, we left the case 
 with him and withdrew.
 
 70 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 Our labour and solicitation for our oppressed Friends 
 at Norwich held a considerable time, and their suffer- 
 ing was the more prolonged by their persecutor Steb- 
 bings, of whose cruelty their chief complaints were ; to 
 excuse and palliate which, his endeavours were to ren- 
 der the sufferers criminal and as obnoxious as he could, 
 aspersing them as obstinate, riotous, etc. thereby to 
 incense the magistrates and government against them ; 
 which gave us occasion to be the more zealously con- 
 cerned to discover, to his and our superiors, his unwar- 
 rantable and inhuman proceedings against the poor, 
 harmless sufferers ; and farther to make application to 
 the king in the sufferers' behalf: wherein my ancient 
 friend Gilbert Latey was willing and free to be con- 
 cerned with me ; and accordingly we took an opportu- 
 nity to go to the king. 
 
 On the 25th of the second month, 1683, we took 
 boat for Kingston ; but the weather began to be so very 
 stormy and tempestuous upon the river, that we were 
 forced to take in at Wandsworth, and lodge there that 
 night at the widow Springets. Next morning we arose 
 by the time it was well light, and walked to Kingston ; 
 it raining almost all the way. We made some stop at 
 Ann Fielders, at Kingston, till we had a little refreshed 
 ourselves, and dried our clothes ; and then we hastened 
 away to Hampton-court, to meet with the king before 
 he went to council. 
 
 As we went along the park toward the court, saw at 
 a distance divers persons standing in the porch, looking 
 towards us ; and one above the rest 1 observed, who I 
 believ^ed was the king, by his blue ribband and black 
 cap. And not being willing to go abruptly into his pre- 
 sence, to open our case to him without his leave, at a 
 little distance I called to the king, desiring him to fa- 
 vour us with a few words; which he presently grant- 
 ing, one of his gentlemen came to us, and gently took 
 off our hats and hung tliem on the pales before the 
 court ; and then we went to the king, who was ready 
 to hear us,
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 71 
 
 Divers great persons being present at the gate, I pro- 
 ceeded to open our case to him, concerning the continu- 
 ance of the hard suflering of our Friends in Norwich, 
 in manner following. 
 
 First, I reminded the king, that our poor Friends 
 were still continued under great hardships, in gaol, in 
 holes, and a dungeon under ground, and desired that the 
 king, in his clemency, Vvould please to relieve them ; 
 further opening their distressed case. 
 
 The king answered ; " It is against law they suffer 
 so, and 1 wiU take care concerning them." 
 
 I was truly glad when I heard him give this answer ; 
 believing that the complaints which had been made to 
 him of our Friends, hard usage, and the affidavits of 
 others thereof, had such credit and weight with him, 
 that I hoped he would cause them to be released. 
 
 The king questioned us about the reason of our not 
 putting otFour hats, and using the terms thee and thou 
 yea and nay. To which we gave him answer particu- 
 larly, viz. that if we could put off our hats to any mor- 
 tal, it should be to the king first ; but for conscience' 
 sake w^e could not to any mortal, but only in our ap- 
 proaching God in prayer. To which the king gave no 
 particular reply. 
 
 George Whitehead. " Thou and thee to one person is 
 Scripture language, and the true way of speaking." 
 
 Gilbert Latey. " As Paul did to king Agrippa, .'icts 
 xxvi. 2, viz. ' I think myself happy, O king Agrippa, 
 because I shall answer for myself this day before thee, 
 touching all the things whereof I am accused of the 
 Jews; especially because 1 know thee to be expert in 
 all customs and questions which arc among the Jews.' " 
 &c. 
 
 George Whitehead. "Concerning yea and nay, we 
 are not strictly tied to the expressions, but sometimes 
 use those of the same signification ; as yes and no," &c 
 
 A great person present asked us : " Why do you 
 call him king ? Why do you not call him his majesty ?" 
 
 George Whitehead. " As he is king he has majesty
 
 72 MEMOIRS or 
 
 belonging to him, it is included ; his majesty is his great- 
 ness and power." 
 
 King. " You should not stand upon things in affecta- 
 tion ; the word you is now become usual in English ; 
 and the word yeah is used by seamen, when they call 
 from the top of the mast to be heard upon deck ; it is 
 also a Dutch word, who express it yah." 
 
 George Whitehead. " We affect not singularity in 
 words or behaviour, but desire to demean ourselves in 
 that plainness and simplicity, which we are in conscience 
 persuaded unto." 
 
 King. "■ The words thee and thou, might have been 
 better translated out of the Greek, you," &c. 
 
 George Whitehead. " If so, then the translators were 
 as simple as we the Quakers." 
 
 Kiyig. " Many of your Friends can swear, or take an 
 oath, rather than lose their voices in election." 
 
 George Whitehead. " Though some few persons have 
 sworn, who have sometimes gone under a profession, 
 yet they are not in society with us." 
 
 Gilbert Latey. " We are as much dissatisfied with 
 such as have done so, as the king can be. 
 
 George Whitehead. " We desire nothing to be done 
 to the prejudice or dishonour of the king, nor to join 
 with or promote any interest against the king. The 
 Lord knows our hearts ; we have not the least design 
 or desire, for the subversion or change of the govern- 
 ment ; nor can we reasonably be supposed to have any 
 such design, seeing we were deep sufferers in Crom- 
 weirs time, as I myself was : therefore there is no rea- 
 son we should seek to promote any interest against the 
 king, but only desire, that God in his wisdom may direct 
 and preserve the king, and that nothing may be done 
 or suffered, that may be to the king's dishonour or 
 hurt." 
 
 Gilbert Latey. " We would not lose our point that we 
 came to the king for ; that is, the case of our distress- 
 ed Friends in Norwich, to whom we desire the king to 
 show his princely clemency for their relief."
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 73 
 
 Although it was my friend's care we should not be 
 diverted I'rom our point by other discourse, I was as 
 mindful of that as he could be ; but by the way, 1 was 
 willing to clear our innocency from jealousies and pre- 
 judice, wrongfully suggested to the king against us and 
 our Friends. 
 
 In answer to Gilbert Latey. 
 
 King. " 1 will take notice of their case, and care 
 about it, that it shall be called for in council." 
 
 George Whitehead, "If there be any objection against 
 us, we pray the king to let us know them, and we hope 
 to give such answers as shall be satisfactory." 
 
 The reason of this proposal by George Whitehead 
 was, that we were informed the secretary. Sir L. 
 Jenkins, intended to produce an apology from the 
 sheritfi of Norwich, against the affidavits concern- 
 ing the gaol and dungeon wherein our Friends were 
 confined ; whereupon we attended the council that 
 day, in order to be called in before them, or to hear the 
 result thereof, in our case respecting our said suffering 
 Friends ; but we were not called in, nor did we hear of 
 any such apology produced by the secretary, though 
 he was a favourer of our adversary, sheriff Stebbings. 
 It may be supposed, that the king's favourable answers 
 to us, and his confessing their suffering was against law, 
 and pronrusing to take care concerning them, might 
 anticipate and prevent producing any apology against 
 them or their case. 
 
 To George Whitehead's last proposal before. 
 
 King. " You shall know, I will take care about your 
 business." 
 
 George Whitehead. " We gave affidavits to the lord 
 keeper, which we hope were delivered to the king." 
 
 King. " Yes, yes ; I will take notice of their case, and 
 it shall be called on in council." 
 
 Gilbert Latey. " We accept it as a great favour, that 
 we have this admittance to be heard, and pray God to 
 preserve and direct the king," &.c. 
 
 George Whitehead to the rest of the nobility pres- 
 
 VOL. ix. a
 
 74 MEMOIRS or 
 
 ent : " We acknowledge all your civilities and kindness 
 towards us." 
 
 George IVhitehead to the king as he was withdraw- 
 ing : " Wc hope the king will be mindful of our sutFer- 
 ing Friends in Norwich." 
 
 Howbeit, after so great endeavours and long solicita- 
 tion, our said suffering Friends were continued prisoners 
 until the next assizes that summer, and then were re- 
 leased ; pursuant to the king's promise and instruction, 
 as it was concluded ; to the great comfort and relief of 
 them and their afflicted families. 
 
 Although with God's assistance, we prevailed with 
 the king for relief in certain extreme cases of suflTering, 
 through great labour and solicitation, wherein I was 
 much concerned, in great compassion toward our sorely 
 oppressed Friends ; yet hitherto there remained great 
 oppressions and sufferings throughout most counties 
 and cities in England, by divers kinds and sorts of se- 
 vere prosecutions ; insomuch that several of us, namely 
 George Fox, Gilbert Latey, Alexander Parker, Francis 
 Camheld, and myself, were weightily concerned to have 
 a general state of our sutlering Friend's case drawn up, 
 by way of address or application, to be presented to 
 the king ; in order to make him the more sensible of the 
 great oppressions we still were exposed to. And ac- 
 cordingly, I did then take particular care, to have such 
 an application effectually drawn to Friends' satisfac- 
 tion. 
 
 First, the intent whereof was, to clear our innocen- 
 cy from a plot, that was reported to have been against 
 the king and the duke of York. 
 
 Secondly, to make the king sensible of our great and 
 long continued, as well as extreme sufTerings, for our 
 reUgious tender conscience towards Almighty God. 
 Thirdly, earnestly to move the king for our relief. 
 
 This address to the king was headed : " The hum- 
 ble address of the people commonly called Quakers." 
 After denying any connexion with the plots which had
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 75 
 
 been unjustly attributed to them, they declared their 
 sense of the duty of obedience to magistrates, in all 
 things not contrary to conscience ; and that, when for 
 conscience' sake they could not obey, their principle 
 and practice was to suffer patiently, and not to rebel 
 or seek revenge. It concluded with the following ap- 
 peal to the justice and humanity of the king. 
 
 " Our prayers and supplications are to the Almighty, 
 for thy future safety and peace ; and that in a thankful 
 remembrance of God's great mercies towards thee, thou 
 mayst be thereby obliged to show mercy, and to relieve 
 the oppressed from these unmerited aMictions and per- 
 secutions, which a great number of us thy peaceable 
 subjects do even at this day suffer under, in our persons 
 and estates ; not only by laws made against, but also 
 by laws never intended against us. And which is more 
 extreme, divers severities of late have been and still 
 are inflicted ; for which no colour or pretence of law 
 hath been or can be alleged ; several gaols being so 
 filled as that they want air, and many innocent persons 
 are held under extreme distress, without regard to age, 
 sex, or condition ; to the loss of some lives already, and 
 apparent hazard of many more ; if not to the endan- 
 gering infection in divers cities and places in this na- 
 tion. And many houses, shops, barns, and fields are 
 ransacked, and swept of goods, corn, and cattle ; tend- 
 ing also to the great discouragement of trade and hus- 
 bandry, and to the impoverishing of a great number of 
 quiet and industrious people ; and that for no other 
 cause but for their religious worship, and the exercise 
 of their tender consciences towards Almighty God that 
 made them, who is the sovereign Lord of all, and king 
 in men's consciences. 
 
 " Therefore we humbly intreat thee, O king, in 
 princely justice. Christian charity and compassion, to 
 open our prison doors and take off our bonds; relieve 
 the innocent and oppressed in thy land, that fear God 
 and in conversation truly honour the king ; and suffer 
 not the ruin of such as are quiet in the land, nor the
 
 76 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 widow and the fatherless, for their peaceable con- 
 sciences, to lie at the door of a prince professing the 
 tender and compassionate religion of Christ." 
 
 This address was presented to king Charles the 
 Second, at Windor castle, the 8th day of the 6th month, 
 called August, 1G83, by George Whitehead, Alexander 
 Parker, Gilbert Latey, and Francis Camiield, and read 
 distinctly to the king and the duke, in the presence of 
 many more of the nobility, &,c. by me. 
 
 After I had read it, our ancient Friend Francis Cam- 
 field, declared a few words very weightily ; reminding 
 him of the mercy of the Great God to him, both in his 
 great deliverances, preservation, and restoration ; de- 
 siring that as the Almighty had shown mercy and com- 
 passion to him, in his alllictions and straits, he would 
 show or extend mercy and compassion to his afflicted 
 people ; and withal prayed for the king, according to 
 our supplications hinted in the foregoing application : 
 to which he said : " I thank you." 
 
 The king at that time appeared seriously affected 
 with our complaint : and soon after we were told by a 
 great person, that he said to a duke that stood by : 
 " What shall we do for this people ? the prisons are fill- 
 ed with them." And that the duke, to divert him from 
 his concern therein, drew him into other discourse. 
 
 I have been bowed in spirit under a great weight 
 and concern, with earnest breathing and secret suppli- 
 cation to the Lord to assist me, so often as I have had 
 occasion personally to appear before the king, to make 
 application to him on behalf of my suffering Friends 
 and brethren ; and my exercise was the greater, when 
 it was difficult to obtain access or to meet with him ; 
 which I have divers times very earnestly laboured for, 
 and also to be admitted to appear before him and his 
 council, to plead their cause. And the Lord our God 
 has made way for me therein, and by his power assist- 
 ed me, in freely and boldly pleading the cause of the 
 innocent for truth and justice, without being any ways 
 timorous or daunted by the face of the king, princes, or
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 77 
 
 nobles ; and in these services, when the Lord has help- 
 ed me through them, I have felt great peace and com- 
 fort, and his presence was with me, enabling me to 
 speak pertinently, and influencing them to hear atten- 
 tively : praised be the Lord my God ! 
 
 But though a little relief was obtained, in particular 
 instances, by these applications to the king ; he was 
 too much addicted to pleasure to act firmly or constant- 
 ly, in regard to what he professed to wish ; and his pro- 
 fession of tolerant principles being attributed to a desire 
 to screen popery, his apparent disposition to ^:he tolera- 
 tion of dissenters, excited a hostile feeling on the part 
 of many persons, and probably retarded the course of 
 public opinion in favour of religious liberty ; nor was 
 this feeling likely to be diminished by the apprehen- 
 sion, that the king was anxious to extend the preroga- 
 tive of the crown, and that he had actually done so by 
 the suspension of the laws which particularly affected 
 the Quakers. Whatever might be the cause, certain 
 it is, that the sufferings of Friends had never been more 
 extensive, nor perhaps more severe, than in the two 
 last years of the life of this thoughtless and voluptuous 
 monarch. 
 
 George Whitehead gives the following description of 
 the state of the Society at that time. 
 
 Being shut out of our meeting-houses for divers years, 
 in and about the cities of London and Westminster, and 
 our meetings kept in the streets in all sorts of weather, 
 winter and summer, was a trial and hardship upon us. 
 But that trial was not so great, as to have our estates 
 and livelihoods exposed to ruin by ravenous informers ; 
 although it was no small hardship to our persons, to be 
 kept out of doors in the streets, in the great severe and 
 long frost and snow, in the year 1683, for about three 
 months together, when the river Thames was so frozen 
 up, that horses, coaches, and carts, could pass to and 
 
 G 2
 
 78 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 fro upon it, and a street also be erected and stand over 
 it. 
 
 And yet in all that hard season, when we were so 
 long kept out in the streets in the hitter cold air, 1 do 
 not remember that 1 got any harm or injury thereby, 
 although I frequently attended those our meetings in 
 the streets ; wherein I took great and serious notice of 
 the merciful Providence of Almighty God, towards my- 
 self and many more of our Friends, who were sharers 
 in the same mercy and preservation in that suffering 
 and exercise ; no thanks to our unmerciful persecutors : 
 but to our Heavenly Father be the glory and praise for 
 ever ! 
 
 We had in those days some opportunities to publish 
 the Truth openly in the streets, and also to make public 
 supplication to God ; but more frequently were not per- 
 mitted, but pulled away by force, and either sent to 
 prison or turned into the meeting-house, and there de- 
 tained under guard until the meeting was ended in the 
 street. Thus were the ministers and others among us 
 often forcibly interrupted, and scarcely suffered, many 
 times, to declare two or three sentences, without being 
 haled away ; however, we saw it our duty, in the fear 
 of the Living God, to keep our meetings, and patiently 
 to wait upon II im ; wherein we often enjoyed his pre- 
 sence to our consolation, even in our silent waiting upon 
 Him : being not called to strive or contest with our ad- 
 versaries, or their servants whom they emj)loyed, but 
 in faith and patience to bear all ; believing that in due 
 time thereby we should obtain victory. It was often 
 then before me, that the Lamb and his faithful followers 
 should have the victory, which was matter of secret 
 comfort to me many times: glory to his name for ever ! 
 
 In those days I clearly saw, that the testimony re- 
 quired of us to bear, was not so much in words, decla- 
 ration, or ministry, as to stand our ground in faith and 
 patience, and to travail in spirit, with secret breathing 
 and earnest supplication unto God to plead our cause ; 
 it being his own cause for which we suffered : and
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 79 
 
 therefore we patiently committed it to Him that judgeth 
 righteously. 
 
 In the year before the king's decease, I and divers 
 other Friends were still desirous he should be made 
 sensible what great suflferings were still continued upon 
 our Friends, both by imprisonment and spoil ; and our 
 Friend William Mead and others of us, being concern- 
 ed the king should be at least acquainted and moved 
 thereupon, the same was done ; and by the king's au- 
 thority, direction given to the sherifTs of the counties 
 respectively, throughout England, to return the names 
 and causes of our Friends then prisoners ; an account 
 whereof was given to the king, by way of petition and 
 information : a general memorandum whereof follows. 
 
 The 15th of "the 11th month, 1683, George White- 
 head and A. Parker attended the king, to present the 
 general suffering of our Friends, both in prison and out 
 of prison, by way of petition. In the afternoon we met 
 with the king in the long gallery, and presented the 
 petition; which he received, and George Whitehead 
 spake a few words to him on this wise : 
 
 " We in treat the king to excuse our importunity, for 
 our extremity is the cause ; we pray the king tenderly 
 to consider our suffering condition and atford us relief, 
 accounts being returned from the sheritrs of our Friends 
 in prison," &c. 
 
 To which he answered : " Well, well, well." 
 
 And perceiving the king then in some haste, George 
 WHiitehead told him : " It he pleased, we would ac- 
 quaint the Lord Simderland (being secretary of state) 
 more fully with our case, that he might inform the king 
 thereof,"' &c. 
 
 To which the king answered : " Do, do." 
 
 But alas ! the king's time was but short ; he was then 
 near his end, and did not live to relieve us, either by 
 opening the prison doors or removing the great oppres- 
 sions and severe persecutions we then suffered, and 
 which he left us under ; his opportunity being slipped 
 and day over and gone.
 
 so MEMOIRS OF 
 
 I think I was the last Friend that spake to the king, 
 to move him for rcHcf from our suflcrings but a few 
 weeks before his end. He left about fifteen hundred 
 of our Friends, both men and women, prisoners ; besides 
 their being then eagerly followed and persecuted by 
 wicked informers; and many hundreds under heavy 
 oppression and suiferings, for twenty pounds per men- 
 sem, and two-thirds of their estates seized, and great 
 spoil made upon them in many counties and parts of 
 the nation. We were still kept out of our meeting- 
 houses in the streets, both in and about London and 
 divers other places ; which persecutions and sufferings 
 were continued upon us for some time after king James 
 the Second came to the throne, and until he was pre- 
 vailed upon to afford us some relief and liberty. All 
 which we have cause to ascribe principally to the over- 
 ruling Power and Providence of Almighty God ; in 
 whose hands the hearts of kings and princes are : and 
 He can turn them like waters. To Him be the domi- 
 nion and praise of all for ever ! 
 
 In the year 1G84, George Whitehead being taken at 
 a meeting in ^Vhitc Hart Court, in the act of prayer, 
 was for a short time confined in the prison of Newgate, 
 under an indictment for being engaged " in an unlawful 
 assembly, riolonsh/ and with force of anus P^ Tlie re- 
 corder evinced his usual severity ; but George White- 
 head observes, that some of the magistrates of the city 
 of London were men of more moderation than the re- 
 corder ; and (he sheriff, Sir Samuel Dashwood, soon 
 sent an order to the keepers of Newgate, to discharge 
 him fiom his imprisonment; which was thus of only 
 about sixteen days' continuance. 
 
 He thus expresses himself, on reviewing the suffer- 
 ings to which he had been exposed in the few previous 
 years. 
 
 " I humbly thank the Lord, my Heavenly Father, 
 and praise his worthy name, in remembrance how He 
 enabled me to be resigned to his will, in suffering both
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 81 
 
 in person and estate ; and how well my dear wife was 
 given up to sulfer with me, for the blessed Truth's sake, 
 in those days. But the Lord our God supported and 
 comforted us under those trials ; as we were with one 
 accord resigned to his will, to bear faithful testimony 
 for his holy name and ever living Truth, which He had 
 made us partakers and witnesses of. Blessed be his 
 glorious Name for evermore !"
 
 ( 82 ) 
 
 SECTION XVI. 
 
 Suffering state of the Society at the death of Charles 11. — Repre- 
 eentation of it by an interview with king James II. and address 
 to him. — List of the sufferers — Second interview with the king, 
 and full representation of the Quakers' case addressed to him 
 and to the parliament — The king grants a general warrant for 
 the release of the prisoners. — Commission granted on George 
 Whitehead's application to the king to inquire into the dishonest 
 practices of the informers — Their suppression — One of them in 
 distress applies to George Whitehead, and is relieved by hira. 
 
 The period of the death of Charles the Second, ap- 
 pears to have been the extreme point of suffering to the 
 Society of Friends. Notwithstanding his character for 
 good nature, and the frequent expression of his intention 
 to reUeve them, they were persecuted to a great extent, 
 under the laws made against Papists in the reign of 
 Elizabeth ; whilst the immediate objects of those sta- 
 tutes were, under the king's favour, enjoying compara- 
 tive liberty. Probably the worshippers of uniformity 
 M'ould not have been satisfied without some victims for 
 their idol ; and it was no doubt more agreeable to the 
 king to sacrifice the poor nonconforming protestants, 
 than to allow the insane fury of the people to fall upon 
 his immediate friends. 
 
 The prisons of England were crowded with honest 
 and industrious people, whose only crime was a tender 
 conscience, and against whom it might truly be said, 
 that no occasion teas found, except concerning the law of 
 their God. 
 
 No less than fourteen hundred and sixty of the 
 people called Quakers were at this time in the prisons 
 of England and Wales, in many places crowded toge- 
 ther without respect to age, sex, or circumstance, in 
 cold and filthy holes and dungeons, where many had 
 died, and faithfully earned the crown of martyrdom.
 
 G. WniTEHEAD. 83 
 
 Not a few of these were fathers and mothers of families, 
 which were thus left destitute of their natural guardians 
 and protectors : indeed it is difficult to say whether the 
 suffering within the walls of the prisons, intense as it 
 was, was not exceeded by that endured by the numer- 
 ous relatives and friends of the prisoners. The cruel 
 separations of husbands from wives, and fathers and 
 mothers from their children, were generally preceded 
 or accompanied by robbery and spoil, and not unfre- 
 quently the entire ruin of the family as regarded their 
 means of outward support. The true order of govern- 
 ment was directly inverted, governors being a terror to 
 those who did well rather than to those who did ill. 
 
 Apologizing to the reader for these introductory ob- 
 servations to the present chapter, I proceed to give the 
 substance of George Whitehead's account of his own 
 and his friends' proceedings, immediately after the ac- 
 cession of James the Second to the English crown. 
 
 Much fear was now entertained as to what would 
 become of protestant dissenters, many anticipating an 
 increase of persecution, under the government of a pro- 
 fessed papist. George Whitehead however, whose 
 elastic mind never seemed to sink, had a lively impres- 
 sion which he communicated to his friends, that they 
 should have ease under this king's reign ; — and cer- 
 tainly he spared no pains to bring it about. 
 
 A few weeks after the death of Charles, he present- 
 ed to his successor, in company with Gilbert Latey and 
 Alexander Parker, the following truly courteous but 
 unflattering address.* 
 
 " To King James the Second. 
 
 The humble .Application of the people called Quakers. 
 " Whereas it hath pleased Almighty God, by whom 
 
 * Echard in his history has given a very different but altogether 
 spurious address to the King. The object of the composition ap- 
 pears to have been to place tho Quakers in a ridiculous light.
 
 84 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 kings reign, to take hence the lale king Charles the 
 Second, and to preserve thee peaceably to succeed, 
 we thy subjects heartily desire, that the Giver of all 
 good and perfect gifts, may please to endue thee with 
 wisdom and mercy, in the use of thy great power, to 
 His glory, the king's honour and the kingdom's good. 
 And it being our sincere resolution, according to our 
 peaceable principles and conversation, by the assistance 
 of Almighty God, to live peaceably and honestly, as 
 becomes true and faithful subjects under the king's 
 government, and a conscientious people, that truly fear 
 and serve God, we do humbly hope, that the king's ten- 
 derness will appear, and extend with his power, to 
 express the same ; recommending to his princely clem- 
 ency, the case of our present suffering Friends hereun- 
 to annexed." 
 
 The case of the suffering Friends referred to in the 
 petition, contains so simple and affecting an account of 
 their situation that it is well worthy of perusal. 
 
 " The distressed case and request of the suffering peo- 
 ple commonly called Quakers, humbly presented. 
 
 Showing, 
 " That according to accounts lately given, above 
 fourteen hundred of the said people, both men and wo- 
 men, are continued prisoners, in England and Wales, 
 only for tender conscience toward Almighty God that 
 made them.* Many under sentence of premunire, and 
 many near it, not for refusing the duty or substance of 
 allegiance itself, but only because they dare not swear ; 
 others under fines on the act for banishment ; many on 
 
 * The following list of the number of prisoners in each county 
 is curious, as showing the wido spread of the society at this time 
 throughout England and Wales. We have no means of ascertain- 
 ing the total number, but large as it no doubt was, the number of 
 svfferers, including the families of the prisoners and those who suf- 
 fered the spoil of their goods, must have formed a lar^e and affect- 
 ing proportion of the whole Society. No doubt also, such was tho
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 
 
 85 
 
 writs of excommunication ; besides some hundreds have 
 died prisoners, many by means of this long imprisonment 
 since the year 1680, as it is judged; thereby making 
 widows and fatherless, and leaving poor innocent fami- 
 lies desolate, in distress and sorrow. These two hard 
 winters' confinement tending also to the destruction of 
 many in cold holes and gaols, their healths being great- 
 ly impaired thereby : besides, the violence and woful 
 spoil made by merciless informers, on the conventicle 
 act, upon many convicted, unsummoned, and unheard 
 in their own defence, both in city and country. As also 
 on Qui Tam writs, and other processes, for twenty 
 pounds a month, and two-thirds of estates seized for 
 the king ; all tending to the ruin of trade, husbandry, 
 and industrious families; to some not a bed left, to 
 
 sympathy as well as courage of this branch of the Church of Christ 
 at that day, that it might be almost said : " Whether one member 
 suflfered, all the members suffered with it." 
 
 An account of the number of the said prisoners called Q^uakers, 
 in the several counties. 
 
 Bedfordshire 
 
 30 
 
 Leicestershire 
 
 37 
 
 Berkshire 
 
 37 
 
 Lincolnshire 
 
 12 
 
 Bristol 
 
 103 
 
 London and Middlesex 
 
 66 
 
 Buckinghamshire 
 
 19 
 
 Norfolk 
 
 52 
 
 Cambridgeshire 
 
 8 
 
 Northamptonshire 
 
 59 
 
 Ely 
 
 11 
 
 Nottinghamshire 
 
 6 
 
 Cheshire 
 
 9 
 
 Oxon 
 
 t7 
 
 Cornwall 
 
 32 
 
 Salop 
 
 18 
 
 Cumberland 
 
 22 
 
 Somersetshire 
 
 36 
 
 Derbyshire 
 
 1 
 
 Southamptonshire 
 
 15 
 
 Devonshire 
 
 104 
 
 Staffordshire 
 
 1 
 
 Dorsetshire 
 
 13 
 
 Suffolk 
 
 79 
 
 Durham 
 
 39 
 
 Surrey 
 
 29 
 
 Essex 
 
 10 
 
 Sussex 
 
 17 
 
 Gloucestershire 
 
 66 
 
 Warwickshire 
 
 31 
 
 Hertfordshire 
 
 18 
 
 Westmoreland 
 
 5 
 
 Herefordshire 
 
 1 
 
 Wilts 
 
 34 
 
 Huntingdonshire 
 
 10 
 
 Worcestershire 
 
 15 
 
 Kent 
 
 16 
 
 Yorkshire 
 
 279 
 
 Lancashire 
 
 73 
 
 Wales 
 
 30 
 
 
 Total 
 
 1460. 
 
 
 ▼OL. II. 
 
 
 H 

 
 86 * MEMOIRS OF 
 
 others no cattle to till their ground, or give them milk, 
 nor corn for bread or seed, nor tools to work withal. 
 And all these, and other severities done under pretence 
 o{ s('rvi)ig the king and the Church, thereby to force us 
 to violate our consciences, and consequently to destroy 
 our souls, which we are very tender of, as we are of our 
 peace with God and our own consciences, though ac- 
 counted as sheep for the slaughter. And notwithstand- 
 ing all these long sustained extremities, we the said 
 people do solemnly profess and declare, in the sight of 
 the Heart Searcher, that we have nothing but good will 
 and true affection to the king, praying ibr his safety, 
 and the kingdom's peace. We have never been found 
 in any seditious or treasonable designs, as being wholly 
 contrary to our Christian principles and holy profession. 
 
 " And knowing that where the word of a king is, there 
 is power, we in Christian humility, and for Christ's sake, 
 intreat that the king will please to find out some ex- 
 pedient for our relief in these cases, from prison, spoil, 
 and ruin. 
 
 " And we shall, as in Christian duty bound, pray 
 God for the king's welfare in this world, and his eternal 
 happiness in that which is to come. 
 
 " London, 2nd of ist month, called March, 1G84-5." 
 
 Between three and four months after the first inter- 
 view, no relief being yet obtained, George Whitehead 
 was " deeply concerned in Spirit" to go to the king, to 
 give him further information, and to endeavour to per- 
 suade him to put a stop to the ruinous persecutions. 
 Acquainting his Friend Robert Barclay with his inten- 
 tions, (for whom the king had a particular respect, hav- 
 ing known him in Scotland,) he w^as willing to unite in 
 the application ; and they appear to have readily ob- 
 tained admittance into the king's presence. 
 
 George Whitehead took the principal part in this in- 
 terview ; from his iiccount of which 1 select the follow- 
 ing passages : 
 
 George Whitehead, " We thankfully acknowledge
 
 G. WHITEUEAD. . 87 
 
 the king's favour in granting us this admittance. Hav- 
 ing acquainted the Lord Peterborough with our great 
 sulFerings by informers, &c. in and about London, he 
 promised us to acquaint the king therewith ; which we 
 hope he did, for he said, ' he had acquainted the king 
 with our desire, that he would speak to the recorder, 
 that a stop might be put to the informers,' &c. And 
 further told us, ' that the king promised to send for the 
 recorder, and speak to him himself, and that we should 
 shortly feel the effects.' " 
 
 King. " The Lord Peterborough did speak to me, 
 and acquainted me with it : I have not as yet spoken 
 to the recorder, but intend to speak to him to-morrow ; 
 I'll send for him into the prince's lodgings, and speak 
 with him about it : therefore do you put me in mind 
 of it, when I go into the House of Lords to-morrow." 
 
 George Whitehead. " The late king, after his corona- 
 tion, gave out his Proclamation of Grace, to release our 
 Friends out of the gaols throughout England ; upon 
 which many hundreds were released. 
 
 " And in the year 1672, the late king gave out his 
 Declaration of Indulgence, for the liberty of tender 
 consciences ; and his Letters Patent, (or pardon,) under 
 the great seal, to release our Friends out of prisons : 
 whereupon we had liberty for some years." 
 
 King. " I intended a general coronation pardon ; but 
 the reason why it was deferred until the meeting of 
 parliament, was, because some persons who are obnox- 
 ious, by being in the late plot, would thereby have been 
 pardoned, and so might have come to sit in parliament ; 
 which would not have been safe. But 1 intend that 
 your Friends shall be discharged out of prison. I was 
 the cause of drawing up that Declaration, and 1 never 
 gave my consent to the making of it void : it was the 
 Presb} terians who caused it to be made void or can- 
 celled in parliament." 
 
 George Whitehead. " The imprisonments, as also the 
 great spoil made by informers, is still very hard upon 
 many in and about London, and other parts : five war-
 
 88 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 rants at once have been executed upon one person, 
 amounting to fifty pounds, being ten pounds a warrant 
 We intreat the king to put a stop to these informers ; 
 for many are greatly disabled by them, and about giv- 
 ing over their trades and shops; although we areas 
 willing to pay our taxes and civil duties to the king as 
 any other people. And by the close imprisonment of 
 many, even here in London, in Newgate gaol, divers of 
 our Friends have been so sufTocated, that they have 
 been taken out sick of a malignant fever, and in a few 
 days died. 
 
 King. " I intend your Friends shall be released out 
 of prison ; and I'll consider of a way how to stop the 
 informers : but they having a part of the fines, I must 
 consider which way I may best take to stop them and 
 ease you :" or to the very same effect. 
 
 George Whitehead. " We have just exceptions against 
 the Conventicle Act itself, in divers clauses." 
 
 Robert Barclay. " Convicting men behind their backs 
 is contrary to the law of nations." 
 
 George Whitehead. " And then the awarding treble 
 costs against the appellant, in case he is cast in the 
 trial of his appeal, but no costs against the informers, 
 nor any provision made that they shall make any res- 
 titution to the party grieved, in case they be cast or 
 nonsuit in their unjust persecution ; this appears very 
 unequal. 
 
 " We are inclinable to present an account of our 
 sufferings to the parliament, wherein we desire the 
 king's favourable concurrence, and therefore thought 
 meet to acquaint the king first with our intention ; for 
 we are willing and desirous that he should be acquaint- 
 ed with all public applications we make to the parlia- 
 ment." 
 
 Ki72g. " What is it ?" 
 
 George Whitehead. " It is a plain account of our suf- 
 ferings in matters of fact, of the same kind with that 
 which we lately gave to the king, with some reasons 
 oiTered for the repeal of the Conventicle act."
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 89 
 
 King. " Let me see it, and I'll give you my opinion 
 concerning it." 
 
 George Whitehead. " We intend to show it the king. 
 And we humbly and thankfully acknowledge the king's 
 favour, in admitting us thus far to be heard." 
 
 The account alluded to in the foregoing conversation, 
 was addressed : " To the king and both houses of par- 
 liament, the suffering condition of the peaceable people 
 called Quakers, only for tender conscience towards Al- 
 mighty God, humbly presented." 
 
 It stated : " That of late above one thousand five 
 hundred of the said people, both men and women, hav- 
 ing been detained prisoners in England, and part of 
 them in Wales, some of which being since discharged 
 by the judges, and others freed by death through their 
 long and tedious imprisonment, there are now remain- 
 ing, according to late accounts, about one thousand 
 three hundred eighty and three, above two hundred of 
 them women." 
 
 It then proceeded to state the grounds and nature 
 of the sufferings, much in the same manner as had been 
 done in the account presented to the king immediately 
 after his accession ;* and after enumerating the particu- 
 lar statutes under which they chiefly suffered,f the do- 
 cument proceeds as follows : 
 
 " Many, both men and women, have been fined, im- 
 
 * The list of sufferers is given at page 84, as a note. 
 
 + The 5th of Eliz. chap. 23, De Excoinmunicatio Capiendo. 
 
 The 23rd of Eliz. chap. 1, for Twenty Pounds per Month. 
 
 The 29th of Eliz. chap. 6, for Continuation. 
 
 The 35th of Eliz. chap. 1, for Abjuring the Realm, on pain of 
 Death. 
 
 The 1st of Eliz. chap. 2, for Twelve-Pence a Sunday. 
 
 The 3rd of king James I. chap. 4, for Premunire, Imprisonment 
 during Life, and Estates confiscated. 
 
 The 13th and 14th of king Charles II. against Quakers, «fec. 
 Transportation. 
 
 The 22nd of King Charles II. chap. 1, against Seditious Conven- 
 tides. 
 
 The 17th of king Charles II, chap. 2, against Nonconformists. 
 
 The 27th of Henry VIII. ch. 20, some few suffer thereupon. 
 
 H 2
 
 90 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 prisoned, and detained for non-payment, some till death, 
 on indictments at common law, for riots, breaches of the 
 peace, &c. ; instance the city of Bristol, what a great 
 number have been these divers years straitly confined 
 and crowded in gaol, mostly above one hundred on such 
 pretence, about seventy of them women, many aged. 
 And in the city of Norwich, in the years 1682-3, about 
 seventy kept in hold, forty-five whereof in holes and 
 dungeons, for many weeks together ; and great hard- 
 ships have been and are in other places : so that such 
 our peaceable meetings are sometimes fined on the Con- 
 venticle act, as for a religious exercise, and other times 
 at common law, as riotous, routous, &c. when nothing 
 of that nature could ever be proved against them, there 
 being nothing of violence or injury either done, threaten- 
 ed, or intended, against the person or property of any 
 one whatsoever. 
 
 " The during and tedious imprisonments are chiefly 
 on the writs De Excommunicatio Capiendo, upon the 
 judgment of prcmunire, and upon fines said to be for 
 the king. 
 
 " The great spoil and excessive distresses and seiz- 
 ures, are chiefly upon the Conventicle act, and for 
 twenty pounds a month, two-thirds of estates, and on 
 Qui Tam writs. In some counties, divers have suffer- 
 ed by seizures and distresses above eight years past; 
 and writs lately issued out for further seizures in several 
 counties, for twenty pounds a month, amounting to the 
 value of many thousands of pounds ; sometimes seizing 
 for eleven months at once, and making sale of all goods 
 and chattels, within doors and without, both of house- 
 hold goods, beds, shop goods, moveables, cattle, &,c. and 
 prosecution hereupon still continued, and in divers 
 counties much increased : so that several, who have 
 long employed some hundreds of poor families in manu- 
 facture, and paid considerable taxes to the king, are 
 greatly disabled from both, by these writs and seizures 
 as well as by long imprisonments. So many serge
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 91 
 
 makers, of Plymouth, as kept above five hundred poor 
 people at work, disabled by imprisonment : many in 
 the county of Suffolk, under a long imprisonment, sen- 
 tenced to a premunire ; one whereof employed at least 
 two hundred poor people in the woollen manufacture, 
 when at liberty. Omitting other instances, that we 
 may not seem too tedious, these may evince how de- 
 structive such severities are to trade and industry, and 
 ruinous to many poor families. 
 
 •' Be pleased to make our case your own, and do to 
 us as you would be done unto : as you would not be 
 oppressed or destroyed in your persons or estates, nor 
 have your properties invaded and posterities ruined, for 
 serving and worshipping Almighty God, that mbde all 
 mankind, according to your persuasions and consciences, 
 but would, no doubt, enjoy the liberty thereof; so we 
 entreat you to allow the same liberty to tender con- 
 sciences, that live peaceably under the government, as 
 you would enjoy yourselves ; and to disannul the said 
 Conventicle act, and to stop these devouring informers, 
 and also take away all sanguinary laws, corporal and 
 pecuniary punishments, merely on the score of religion 
 and conscience ; and let not the ruin and cry of the 
 widow, fatherless, and innocent families lie upon this 
 nation, nor at your door ; who have not only a great 
 trust reposed in you, for the prosperity and good of the 
 whole nation, but also do profess Christianity and the 
 tender religion of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 " Having thus given you in short, the general state 
 of our suffering case, in matter of fact, without personal 
 reflection ; we, in Christian humility and for Christ's 
 sake, intreat that you will tenderly and charitably con- 
 sider of the premises, and find out some effectual expe- 
 dient or way for our relief from prisons, spoil, and ruin." 
 
 George Whitehead and Gilbert Latey waited upon 
 the king, previous to their presenting the address to the 
 parliament, to receive his sanction ; which he freely
 
 92 MEJIOIRS OP 
 
 gave :* and having now become fully acquainted with 
 the severe perseculion under which the Society labour- 
 ed, he was pleased, says the narrative, '* to grant a 
 comprehensive warrant or commission to the then at- 
 torney general, Sir Robert Sawyer, on our sufTering 
 Friends' behalf; including the several sorts of processes 
 and convictions under which many of them sutrercd."f 
 This order was dated 15th of March, 1685-6, httle more 
 than a year after the king's accession. 
 
 George Whitehead gives the following account of the 
 proceedings to carry into eiTect this joyful release. 
 
 When this warrant was granted and delivered to us, 
 the attorney general, Sir Robert Sawyer, was not in 
 London, but near forty miles from thence, at his coun- 
 try house at Highclcare, in Hampshire ; and Friends 
 in London being very desirous that our Friends in the 
 several prisons throughout England, &.c. might forth- 
 with be released : it was concluded that two or three 
 of us should take a journey to the said attorney general, 
 and deliver him the aforesaid warrant from the king ; 
 and then in the first place, to obtain a warrantor libe- 
 rate thereupon, to discharge and release our Friends in 
 and about London. 
 
 John Edge, Rowland Vaughan, and myself were de- 
 sired forthwith to undertake the journey to the attorney 
 general, for that service. At that time 1 was but weak- 
 ly in body, and so much indisposed as to my health, 
 that 1 thought myself very unfit for that journey, for I 
 then kept my chamber ; howbeit, they not being willing 
 to go without me, I was in the greater strait, and after 
 a short consideration was persuaded, and concluded to 
 
 * Gough thinks the sudden prorogation of parliament prevented 
 the address from being presented to it. 
 
 + Sevvel, without referring to this special order for the discharge 
 of the Quakers, attributes tlicir rehef to a proclamation of pardon, 
 issued soon after tiie king ascended the throne ; yet ho quotes G. 
 Fox's letter on the occasion, addressed to Friends, and which is 
 dated four months after the commission to the attorney general.
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 93 
 
 go with them if possibly I might be enabled to perform 
 the journey. 
 
 Whereupon my dear friend Theodore Ecclestone lent 
 me a good easy horse, and I being weakly, we were 
 part of two days and the morning following before we 
 reached to the attorney general's, who civilly received 
 and entertained us, when we had produced the king's 
 commission to him ; and we quickly persuaded him to 
 give instructions to our then companion Rowland Vaug- 
 han, to draw up a warrant or liberate to release our 
 Friends, who then were prisoners in London. And ac- 
 cording to his instructions, Rowland drew up several 
 warrants to discharge our Friends out of prison, which 
 the attorney general signed that day ; and to get them 
 done he would have us stay dinner, so it was the third 
 or near the fourth hour before we could get all done 
 and signed, to come away thence ; insomuch that it was 
 within night before we got to Theal, about four miles 
 beyond Reading, where we staid at an inn that night, 
 and the next day came to Brentford; before which 
 time I was recovered in my journey, and was so well 
 that I could travel much better than when I left Lon- 
 don ; wherein 1 thankfully observed the merciful Pro- 
 vidence of God, in affording me health and ability be- 
 yond expectation. 
 
 In a short time the attorney general returned to 
 London, to his office in the temple, where 1 attended 
 him (with Gilbert Latey sometimes) to sign the rest of 
 the warrants ; which according to his direction, Row- 
 land Vaughan prepared for him to sign, to discharge 
 the rest of our Friends out of prisons throughout Eng- 
 land, so far as he had power given him by the commis- 
 sion aforesaid. This took us up considerable time to 
 attend to and see effected, and the prisoners by degrees 
 released ; for we had something to do to obtain the 
 warrants for release of our Friends in some places, es- 
 pecially at Bristol; the town clerk having detained 
 our Friends there in prison for non-payment of his 
 demands : which occasioned our complaint against him
 
 94 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 to the king; and on my debating the matter with him 
 before the attorney general, he was persuaded to sub- 
 mit the matter to our Friends' courtesy and freedom, 
 and was desirous that I would let him have the attorney 
 general's warrant to discharge our Friends when he re- 
 turned to liristol ; and accordingly I intrusted him 
 with the warrant ; whereupon he got them released 
 out of prison. 
 
 Thus, though many had died in confinement, were a 
 great number of worthy confessors for the Truth, libe- 
 rated from their severe imprisonment of ten, twelve, 
 and fifteen years ; and permitted to return to the bosom 
 of their families and the Church. 
 
 Great however as was the ease, the sufferings of the 
 Society were by no means at an end. The clergy in 
 general appeared decidedly unfriendly to toleration, 
 and a great number of magistrates, especially in Lon- 
 don and Middlesex, encouraged a set of vile informers, 
 to whom the poor Quakers were a constant prey. 
 George Whitehead now exerted himself earnestly, to 
 induce the king to put a stop to the proceedings of these 
 merciless creatures. 
 
 His exertions in this business were very successful. 
 He inserts in his memoirs a petition to king James, 
 which was signed by several of the sufferers, stating 
 the cruelly and illegality of the proceedings against 
 them ; that they were frequently convicted " in their 
 absence, and often on false depositions sworn by con- 
 cealed informers" — that warrants against them w^ere 
 issued out by the recorder of London, " which were ex- 
 ecuted with great rigour and spoil, and without com- 
 passion to widows, fatherless, or poor families, who were 
 sustained by their daily industry ; not leaving them a 
 bed to lie on :" that w hen they appealed from the re- 
 corder's judgment, he being judge also on the trial, alter- 
 ed the record, and urged juries to find against the ap- 
 pellant ; by which they incurred heavy charges and 
 treble costs. Besides these grievances, the petition
 
 G. WniTEUEAD. 95 
 
 stated, " that numbers were imprisoned and crowded 
 in gaol by him and others, for the same cause, to the 
 greatly impairing of their healths and the loss of some 
 lives." 
 
 After this complaint had been presented, George 
 Whitehead addressed the king, requesting him to ap- 
 point commissioners to hear them and the informers face 
 to face, that they might have a fair opportunity to 
 prove the matters of fact complained of against them. 
 The king granted this request, and issued a commission 
 accordingly, which was delivered to George Whitehead 
 without fees. He, and some of his friends, prosecuted 
 this matter very efhciently. They delivered the com- 
 mission to two persons who had been nominated as the 
 investigators of the affair, and who authorized George 
 Whitehead to issue summonses to all persons whom he 
 wished to be brought before them. Having collected 
 and fairly stated about fifty cases of unjust proceed- 
 ings on the part of the informers towards Friends, he 
 accordingly issued his summonses to the several par- 
 ties. 
 
 On the day appointed, a great company of informers 
 were collected at Cliflbrd's Inn, doubtless under feelings 
 of no little oi)agrin; but when they saw a large num- 
 ber of the usual objects of their prey, coming forward 
 to charge them with injustice and cruelty, before com- 
 missioners who would give an impartial hearing to both 
 parties, they seemed ready " to gnash upon them with 
 their teeth." 
 
 Two justices of the peace, who had incurred the high 
 displeasure of the informers, by refusing to grant war- 
 rants against some Friends, or to convict them in their 
 absence, were present at the inquiry, at the first meet- 
 ing of the commissioners. 
 
 George Whitehead proceeded very methodically in 
 his charges, beginning with those cases in which infor- 
 mers had sworn falsely, producing each Friend's case 
 in order, and calling upon the parties concerned in each 
 to appear together. Numerous cases were fully esta-
 
 96 MEMOIBS OF 
 
 blished, in which the informers had sworn against 
 Friends for being at meetings which they were not at ; 
 also for holding meetings at certain places and houses, 
 where no meetings had been held ; and they were also 
 proved to have sworn upon trust, from one another's 
 false and presumptuous information. These several 
 cases of false swearing, occupied six broadsides ; and 
 there were numerous cases of excessive distraints, ac- 
 companied by force and violence. So many instances 
 indeed, says George Whitehead, " we gave to the com- 
 missioners on the first day, of the horrid abuses of the 
 informers, that they seemed almost weary with hearing 
 them ; matters of fact being evidently proved against 
 the informers to their faces, and to their great shame 
 and confusion." At the first meeting they did not get 
 through one-fourth of the charges ; and a subsequent 
 meeting was held, at which, though they did not get 
 through half the cases, the commissioners thought they 
 had ample grounds on which to form their report to 
 the king. George Whitehead wished them, seeing the 
 charges of false swearing and violence had been so fully 
 proved against the informers, to discourage or stop 
 their further proceedings ; but this the commissioners 
 thought was without their province. 
 
 The informers were of course greatly enraged against 
 George Whitehead ; and they so threatened him, that 
 some of his friends were afraid of their doing him a 
 mischief. He was however no way intimidated : " I 
 told them," says he, " that 1 feared them not ; nor what 
 they could do ; for I was bound in conscience to make 
 them manifest to the government : they should not de- 
 ter me, by their threats, from appearing before the 
 highest authority against them." 
 
 George Whitehead had several interviews with the 
 commissioners, in which he laid before them the cases 
 which had not been inquired into. On one of these in- 
 terviews they showed him, at his request, the draft of 
 their report ; when he was surprised to find, that in- 
 stead of stating the plain matters of fact, in regard to
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 97 
 
 which they had to inquire, they had given their opinion 
 as to an easier way of dealing with the Quakers in future. 
 George Whitehead remonstrated with them, for thus 
 deviating from the points on which they were directed 
 to report to the king ; when " one of the commissioners 
 told him how hardly they were put to it to draw up 
 their report, being sent to out of London, by some great 
 person or persons of the Church, and much requested 
 to report nothing which might disable the informers, or 
 put them by from their great service to the Church !" 
 George Whitehead however pleaded for justice being 
 done to them, by a report as to matters of fact being 
 made to the king ; and the commissioners did materially 
 amend their report in consequence. 
 
 Some further information was given to the king rela- 
 tive to the cases, in a letter ; in which, having referred 
 to the mal-practices of the informers, as stated in the 
 report of the commissioners, the Friends concluded by 
 earnestly entreating the king to put a speedy stop to 
 the cruel proceedings against them. Our author, with 
 all his coolness and moderation, seems unable to repress 
 the feelings of his virtuous indignation, against the sys- 
 tem of plunder allowed to be carried on under pretence 
 of law, by the informers. " A company," says he, " of 
 loose, irreligious, profligate wretches, have been en- 
 couraged and suffered to plunder, rob, steal, break 
 houses, commit burglary, tear away and make havoc 
 and spoil of their neighbours' goods, to serve the Church 
 and King ! What Protestant age or church can pa- 
 rallel such barbarities and cruel persecution? How 
 scandalous to church and state were such agents !" 
 
 The scandal however was on the eve of being re- 
 moved. Whether the king was sincere or not, in his 
 professions in regard to hberty of conscience, Divine 
 Providence was pleased so to overrule events, as tended 
 to the ease of the suffering members of Christ's Church, 
 who dissented from the established worship. "The 
 king," says the memoir, " was at last induced so far to 
 afford us relief from those devourers, by signifying his 
 
 VOL. II. I
 
 98 MEMOIRS, &C. 
 
 pleasure to some of his subordinate ministers, magis- 
 trates, &,c. to put a stop to tiie destructive persecution 
 and spoil, made upon us by the informers." " Their 
 unjust trade and gain being discountenanced by the jus- 
 tices and the quarter sessions, in London and Middlesex, 
 as well as other parts of the kingdom, and discoveries 
 made of their wickedness and injuries, some of them 
 were forced to fly ; and others turned to beggary." 
 
 As during the severe sufferings which they had been 
 called to endure for conscience' sake, the Friends had 
 exhibited a remarkable instance of Christian patience ; 
 so also, when their enemies, the mercenary informers, 
 became destitute, did they exhibit a no less striking 
 instance of Christian forgiveness. 
 
 The Friends, though they had been so severely im- 
 poverished by the proceedings of the informers, did not 
 hesitate to supply the vs^ants of these worthless crea- 
 tures in their destitution. George Whitehead gives an 
 instance of this kind in his own case. " After the trade 
 of informing was over," says he, "George Hilton, a 
 notorious informer, came to my house, complaining to 
 me that he was to be a servant to a great person, but 
 wanted clothes, or money to buy him some ; whereupon 
 1 gave him something, being willing to render good 
 against evil ; he having been a very injurious adversary 
 against myself, and many others of our Friends ; how- 
 ever, 1 was comforted that the case was so well altered, 
 as that from taking away our goods by force, these poor 
 wretches were fain to come and beg of us." Thus did 
 these Christians heap the coals of charity upon the 
 heads of their enemies.
 
 ( 99 ) 
 
 SECTION XVII. 
 
 • 
 
 The state of Society in other parts of the nation. — Two meeting 
 houses seized and used by the soldiers. — Application to king 
 James respecting this and other cases of suffering. 
 
 The suppression of the wicked trade of the informers, 
 though a very important step, was far from closing the 
 sufferings of the Society, or the labours of many of its 
 members, to obtain complete liberty of conscience. 
 They wisely proceeded step by step in pointing out their 
 grievances, and pressing them one after another upon 
 the notice of the public, and of the highest authorities 
 of the land. 
 
 Though the general pardon of the king had some 
 effect in discouraging persecution, yet it did not alter 
 the law ; and a great number of Friends were at this 
 time severely oppressed, and many of them greatly im- 
 poverished, by being charged or estreated in the ex- 
 chequer, and by writs annually issued out thence 
 against them, for seizure to be made on their goods and 
 estates, under the old act against popish recusants ; by 
 which they were fined tzoerdij pounds a month, and two- 
 thirds of their estates, for their monthly absence from 
 their parish churches ; and thereupon their corn, cat- 
 tle, and other goods were seized by the bailiffs ; " seiz- 
 ing," says the memoir, " for eleven months, twenty 
 pounds a month, which amounts to two hundred and 
 twenty pounds forfeiture in that time ; the sottish, rude 
 bailiffs, when they had seized on farmers' goods, re- 
 maining at their houses, eating and drinking until the 
 goods were removed." 
 
 From the continued application of these cruel laws 
 to the poor Quakers, who were the very antipodes of 
 the Papists against whom they were originally made, 
 it is quite evident that the spirit of persecution was still
 
 100 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 strong in the country. King James however, who had 
 sheltered the real objects of this law, even more effec- 
 tually than his brother had done, on being applied to by 
 some Friends for a stay of proceedings, found it at least 
 consist with his policy to grant the request ; and " was 
 pleased to give directions to the lord treasurer and at- 
 torney general, that the exchequer writs should not be 
 issued out on that occasion." A respectful petition was 
 then drawn up, addressed to the lord treasurer, pray- 
 ing that he would issue his warrant to the proper offi- 
 cer, the clerk of the pipe, for the staying of processes 
 against the persons named in a list subjoined, who 
 were under exchequer prosecution, and whose number 
 amounted to several liundreds. The lord treasurer 
 immediately granted the requisite order ; and George 
 Whitehead gives tlie following account of the subse- 
 quent proceedings.* 
 
 1 was very industriously concerned, to obtain such a 
 warrant for a speedy stop to be put to the said process- 
 es, which were then ready to be issued forth of the said 
 pipe ofHce in Grays-Inn. I had something to do, first 
 with the treasurer's deputy, and clerks of the treasury 
 chamber, about their high demands of fees, which we 
 could not answer: whereupon I made complaint to the 
 lord treasurer himself; and he was so kind, as to cause 
 thenfi considerably to abate their demands, and to ac- 
 cept of what we could give; J remember our friend 
 Samuel W^aldcnfield kept me company at that time ; 
 so the warrant was delivered to me. 
 
 After this, Rowland Vaughan went with me to the 
 clerks of the pipe, with our warrant to stay process, 
 who seeing a long list of names annexed to the war- 
 
 * The proceedings in this and many similar cases related in this 
 ■work, strikingly illustrate, by contrasting them with the present 
 state of things, the progress which has been made in the adminis- 
 tration of justice, the establishment of the constitutional rights of 
 the people, and the diminution or more careful exercise of the royal 
 prerogative. Editor.
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 101 
 
 rant, were upon very high demands for fees, amount- 
 ing to many hundred pounds, they demanding a consi- 
 derable fee for each, which we could no ways come 
 near. They were very huffing and high toward us, 
 though we civilly treated them, threatening if we did 
 not pay them the fees demanded, that the writs should 
 be issued out to the sheriffs of the several counties, to 
 seize upon our Friends' estates ; and to be sure it 
 would be done to purpose, for, say they, this was like to 
 be the last time, seeing process was to be stopped ; so 
 that if the writs then went forth, they concluded they 
 would be the more severely executed, and fall heavier 
 upon the convicted than ever. Such like threats were 
 to affi-ight us into a compliance with their unreasonable 
 demands of fees : which we neither would nor could 
 do ; whereupon we parted at that time. 
 
 Being much toiled, weakened, and impaired in my 
 health, by attending, soliciting, and labouring for our 
 Friends' relief in that case, 1 was taken suddenly ill, so 
 that I was forced to keep house a few days ; yet still 
 the burden of Friends' sutlerings lay so heavy upon my 
 spirit, and care to have them relieved by a stay to the 
 said process, that 1 forthwith sent to divers Friends, to 
 let them knoW how the case stood with me, and how 
 far 1 had procured and brought forward the case of 
 our suffering Friends, in order to their relief from the 
 exchequer process; particularly I sent for my compan- 
 ion Gilbert Latey, at Kingston, who quickly came to 
 London ; and I acquainted him and our loving friend 
 William Mead, how our case stood as to the clerks of 
 the pipe refusing to stay the process unless they had 
 the fees they demanded; whereupon I desired the said 
 Gilbert Latey and William Mead to go and treat with 
 those clerks, and see what they could bring them to. 
 At last they brought them so far to abate their de- 
 mands, as to come down to those Friends' terms, and 
 accept of what they proffered, that is, about sixty 
 pounds, instead of the many hundreds demanded; 
 though it was not without complaining that they were 
 
 I 2
 
 102 mi:moirs of 
 
 so much deprived of what they esteemed their proper 
 fees and dues. 
 
 That stay of proceedings, obtained with great care 
 and industry, prevented the ruin of some hundreds of 
 our suffering Friends in their respective counties, and 
 saved many thousands of pounds in their estates. I had 
 great peace and comfort in the Lord, in that He made 
 me any way useful in helping our Friends from those 
 heavy persecutions and oppressions; blessed be the 
 Lord my God ! who greatly helped me to serve Him in 
 helping his people. 
 
 Another case of hardship and suffering, which befel 
 the Society, in regard to two of their meeting houses, 
 next engaged the attention of this unwearied advocate. 
 It is thus stated in the memoirs : 
 
 About the 3rd month, 1G85, the soldiers came and 
 made the meeting house at the Park, in Southwark, a 
 guard-house, and did great spoil and damage about and 
 in the same, by pulling down pales, digging and cutting 
 down trees, carrying away and burning them ; and 
 also the wainscoting and benches about the room, and 
 they carried away one of the out-doors, and many of 
 the casements; and when the soldiers drew out to the 
 camp, they left the house open for any body. Where- 
 upon John Potter, the then owner, entered again, and 
 made up the outward door, and some other necessary 
 repairs, and had a survey of the damages done, which 
 amounted to about forty pounds. 
 
 The soldiers returning from the camp, again possess- 
 ed themselves of the place, and kept their guard there- 
 in for some time, in manner following ; viz. on the 22nd 
 of October 108G, a quarter-master belonging to colonel 
 Hailes' regiment, came to the chambers of the said 
 John Potter's tenants, and demanded entrance ; which 
 being denied, the quarter-master, with the help of sol- 
 diers, broke in, handed away their goods, and turned 
 out three aged women to another house ; and when 
 they had taken possession of our said meeting house
 
 6. WHITEHEAD. 103 
 
 and rooms below, they pulled down the galleries, and 
 made a brick wall across the lower room, with many- 
 other alterations, as if they intended to have the sole 
 and perpetual possession to themselves ; having made 
 a sort of place for prayers, or a mass house, in one end, 
 inclosed from the rest by the said partition wall ; not- 
 withstanding the said John Potter, the owner, showed 
 his lease and title to the premises several times to the 
 said colonel, and his quartermaster; by which they 
 understanding his right and title, the colonel asked him 
 if he would sell, and what he would have for it. But 
 that he could not yield to, knowing what other use the 
 lease was intended and used for ; the low room being 
 our meeting place, he could not in good conscience shut 
 his Friends out of the same. 
 
 But being by force kept out of our meeting house 
 and property, as before related, we had no other way 
 to have the same restored, but by application to the 
 king ; and also for our meeting place at the Savoy, in 
 the Strand. Whereupon myself and my friend Gilbert 
 Latey were desired to attend the king ; unto which we 
 gave up, 1 being prepared to vindicate our property, 
 especially in our meeting house at Park aforesaid. 
 When we had sent notice to the king of our desire to 
 attend him in this case, and that he would please to 
 appoint the time when, he granted our request therein. 
 
 On the 1st of the lOth month, 1686, Gilbert Latey 
 and myself went to Whitehall, and attended some time 
 when we had sent word up to the king of our waiting 
 for admittance. Aflersome time he came down to us, 
 and the said colonel Hailes only with him. 
 
 After I had a little introduced and opened our case 
 to him, how our said meeting house at Park was detain- 
 ed from us, I found that he had been misinformed and 
 prepossessed ; as if that meeting house and others were 
 forfeited to him on the Conventicle act. I presently 
 showed him the mistake ; for by that act the owners' 
 houses where meetings were held, were not forfeited, 
 but they fineable ; the penalty was fines, not forfeiture
 
 104 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 of houses ; and yet, as I told him, I hoped he would not 
 take advantage against us upon that act, seeing he had 
 intimated his opinion was for liberty of conscience, from 
 persecution. 
 
 He farther alleged, that John Potter had given his 
 consent to part with the said house for a compensa- 
 tion ; as also the colonel afhrmed, having given the 
 king in his hand the notes he had taken out of John's 
 lease, showing the conveyance of the title from one to 
 another, till it was settled on John Potter. But the 
 king told me, (as the colonel had informed him,) that 
 since John had assented to part with the said meeting 
 house for a compensation, we had had a meeting about 
 it, and that our Friends had persuaded John not to 
 sell it. 
 
 To all which I gave answer, that John Potter never 
 appeared of that mind to us, as to sell it. 1 farther told 
 him, that divers of our meeting houses in London were 
 seized, and the broad arrow set upon the doors, pretend- 
 edly for the king, in the reign of king Charles the Second, 
 and particularly our meeting house in Grace-church 
 street ; where the mayor, &.c. encouraged a priest of 
 the Church of England, to read their mass or liturgy 
 and to preach ; which was such a wonder that a priest 
 should come and read Common Prayer and preach in a 
 Quakers' meeting, that people did so numerously gather 
 and crowd into and about the meeting, that afterward at 
 another meeting, the priest came to be so alFrightcd with 
 their crowding and noise, that he got away and forbore 
 coming again to read or preach in our meeting house. 
 
 The king smiled at my mentioning their mass, be- 
 cause I presume he understood that the book of Com- 
 mon Praver was much of it taken out of his mass book. 
 
 Having taken notes out of our Friends' lease of the 
 said meeting house at Park, I demonstrated the title, 
 and pleaded the property against the said colonel 
 Hailes's pretensions or claim to it. 
 
 After pretty much discourse upon this matter, the 
 king several times gave this answer : " I am resolved to
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 
 
 105 
 
 invade no man's property or conscience." And he told 
 us, that he would look further into the title and inform 
 himself, but that at present he could not spare the place 
 because of his guards. 
 
 Our friend Gilbert Latey spake also to the king 
 about the Savoy meeting house ; our Friends being 
 there kept out in a cold yard, for many weeks, by the 
 guards. Whereupon Gilbert requested the king to 
 grant our Friends their liberty to meet twice a week ; 
 it being winter time, and hard for ancient people to 
 stand abroad in the cold. The king did not refuse his 
 request, but was pleased to delay it for a time, for fur- 
 ther consideration. 
 
 However our solicitous endeavours in God's power 
 and counsel, took such effect upon the king, that in a 
 few weeks after, he caused both our meeting houses 
 aforesaid, viz. at Park and Savoy, to be restored to us. 
 
 Before we parted from the king that time, 1 mention- 
 ed to him our Friends' great sufferings in Nottingham- 
 shire and Leicestershire, by Smith the informer, and 
 two or three petty justices that took his part ; and I 
 entreated two or three lines from the lord Sunderland 
 to the duke of Newcastle, to put a stop to the said in- 
 former. The king freely granted my request, and two 
 or three times promised to speak to the lord Sunderland, 
 to write to the duke of Newcastle for the same purpose. 
 After which one of the lords of the council, at my de- 
 sire, undertook to procure a letter forthwith, from the 
 earl of Sunderland, pursuant to the king's promise be- 
 fore mentioned. Our Friends, and John Edge also, were 
 concerned to attend the result thereof; insomuch that 
 through the power and help of the Lord our God, in 
 our endeavours, a general stop to those persecuting 
 devourers, the informers, was obtained, to the great 
 comfort and relief of our suffering Friends throughout 
 the nation ; wdiom I was greatly comforted in serving 
 to the utmost of my ability. 
 
 George Whitehead now felt himself concerned to visit
 
 lOG MEMOIRS OF 
 
 the king, to encourage him in the good work he had 
 begun in regard to lil)erty of conscience, and to intimate 
 the good etlccts which he apprehended had arisen from 
 it. He also wished to lay before him some cases of 
 suffering at Leeds in Yorkshire ; and he and Gilbert 
 Latey obtained admittance into the king's presence, on 
 the 14th of 10th month, 1687. The king appeared 
 glad to sec them, and the substance of their discourse 
 was as follows. 
 
 George Whitehead. " We arc glad to see the king, 
 and heartily wish the king health and happiness and 
 a happy and prosperous reign, and that his government 
 may be easy to him in all respects, that is, to himself 
 and the people." 
 
 King. " I thank you ; and for your parts, I believe 
 well of you and your Friends, and that you do wish me 
 well." 
 
 George Whitehead. " I desired to have attended the 
 king some time since, but that a long journey this sum- 
 mer into the north parts of England, and some sickness 
 since, prevented. We have daily cause to bless God 
 for the mercy we enjoy under the king, as being made 
 instrumental in the hand of God therein, and daily to 
 pray for the king's preservation. 
 
 "In this late journey 1 have been as far as Cumber- 
 land, and other parts of the north of England, and find 
 the good clfccts of the king's declaration for liberty of 
 conscience, and how well it is received by all good peo- 
 ple, by all who are sober, moderate, and rational." 
 
 King. " It is well received by all good Christians I 
 am sure." 
 
 George. Whitehead. " And I find persons of under- 
 standing and quality, do commend the king's prudence 
 and conduct therein. And many innocent families, who 
 have been sorely distressed by the late persecutions and 
 hardships they have been long under, have received 
 such relief through the king's clemency, that they tind 
 cause daily to pray for the king ; and to him may justly 
 apply the words of that just man Job, in this case, re-
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 107 
 
 speciing the justness of his proceeding, and to say of 
 the king : ' Thou liast broken the jaws of the wicked, 
 and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.' Job xxix. 17. 
 And farther, that by thy declaration for liberty of con- 
 science, thou hast yielded submission to the great God, 
 and granted and given to Him his due therein, namely, 
 that God may rule and bear sway in men's consciences, 
 whose sovereign right it is to reign and bear rule there- 
 in : < And when the Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice ; 
 and when the evil beasts of prey are made to cease out 
 of the land, the earth shall yield her increase :' accord- 
 ing as God's holy prophets have testified." 
 
 Kin^. " It is very true." 
 
 George Whitehead. " Let liberty of conscience be 
 vindicated or maintained, and the good eifects thereof 
 will appear more and more," &c. 
 
 King. " I am resolved to maintain it as long as I 
 live, and make it as firm as a magna charta, and more 
 firm, if possible ; that it may remain for the benefit of 
 future ages, and that posterity may not have cause to 
 alter it." 
 
 George Whitehead. " Whenever the king shall please 
 to call a parliament, we do heartily wish it may be 
 such a parliament as may concur with the king's 
 clemency, according to his declaration for liberty of 
 conscience, and confirm it by a law ;* and for our parts, 
 I hope we shall contribute our endeavours, so far as 
 argument and reason will go, or may prevail, to per- 
 suade them to confirm it and give it the sanction of law, 
 and repeal those penal laws which are against that 
 liberty." 
 
 King. " You have a right to election of members of 
 parliament : I would have your Friends to have a care, 
 that they do not give their voices for such that are 
 against liberty of conscience." 
 
 George Whitehead. " It concerns us all to have a 
 
 '* This was on occasion of something spoken by the king, in a 
 former discourse to the same purpose.
 
 108 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 care of that ; it is certain there can be no free parlia- 
 ment, upon a general and free election, whilst the oaths 
 of suprennacy and allegiance and tests, are made the 
 qualifications of all members of parliament; for such 
 qualifications admit none to be members of parliament, 
 but such as are strict Churchmen for conformity. 
 Whereas a mixt or more equally chosen parliament, are 
 most likely to consider all interests, and to establish li- 
 berty of conscience; which those penal laws allow 
 not." 
 
 King. " Those laws and qualifications are against 
 property, and destructive to it," &c. 
 
 George JVhilehead. " By a mixed parliament I meant, 
 consisting of Dissenters and of such Churchmen as are 
 against persecution ; as the grand jury at Hertford as- 
 sizes, who stopped all the presentments against dissen- 
 ters for twenty pounds a month, some time before the 
 king's declaration for liberty of conscience came forth. 
 This mixed grand jury appeared a fit instance or ex- 
 ample, as 1 thought, in this case relating to a free par- 
 liament," &c. 
 
 King. " You know when 1 was duke of York, how 
 envious many were against me, and how monstrously 
 they pictured mc in their pamphlets, to render me odi- 
 ous to the nation, and what a dangerous successor I 
 should be, &c. ; but in point of Christianity, I freely 
 forgive them all." 
 
 George JVhitehead. " That is a great point of Chris- 
 tianity and charity indeed, freely to forgive injuries, and 
 is generous and noble; and I am truly glad to hear so 
 much from the king. It is true the duke of York was 
 such a formidable person in the thoughts of many, that 
 they greatly feared and were jealous of his succeeding: 
 but now, since come to the crown, he has given such 
 open demonstration of his clemency and good will to 
 the people, as has convinced many of their mistake 
 therein, and given them cause to lay aside their former 
 fears and jealousies of that kind." 
 
 King. " I was always of the same judgment for li-
 
 O. WHITEUEAD. 109 
 
 berty of conscience, thai now 1 have declared publicly. 
 I remember when, about twenty years ago or above, 1 
 was at Tunbridge, though 1 never drank the waters, 
 there was one Owen, John Owen, a dissenter,* who had 
 a mind to speak with me, but was or seemed something 
 bashful or fearful of coming to me, until some acquaint- 
 ed me therewith ; and then I gave him liberty to come 
 and speak with me, and told him my opinion, that it 
 was for liberty of conscience as I have now declared," 
 &c. 
 
 George Whitehead. " I have heard as much a great 
 while ago, from Edward Waller, Esq. who is lately dead; 
 he signified to the same purpose, concerning the duke 
 of York's being of that opinion for liberty of conscience, 
 long since," &c. 
 
 Gilbtrt Latey. " That which the king has signified 
 secretly he has now declared openly, to the comforting 
 the hearts of many thousands, who truly bless God for 
 the king's kindnesses, and return hearty thanks to the 
 king for the same ; and for all the kindnesses thou hast 
 shown to us, the Lord reward thee, and return thee a 
 thousand fold into thy own bosom." 
 
 Kxng. " I thank you heartily." 
 
 George Whitehead. "I have one particular case from 
 Leeds in Yorkshire, which our Friends desired me to 
 acquaint the king withal ; and that is, the magistrates 
 of Leeds, in the late persecutions, were more severe to 
 our Friends than any magistrates in all the county of 
 York besides. At Leeds, they have not only imprison- 
 ed them and endeavoured to banish them out of the land, 
 having prosecuted them in order to banishment, on the 
 statute of the 13th and 14th of the late king, which 
 extends to imprisonment and transportation, but also 
 
 ♦ Dr. Owen. The king little thought that in the company of 
 this one Owen, he conversed with a man whose name would stand 
 much higher in the respectful remembrance of posterity than his 
 own, and whose writings were likely to be read with interest, so 
 long as the English language remained to be the vehicle of Chris- 
 tian instruction. Editor. 
 VOL. 11. K
 
 110 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 they took away their goods from their reHgious meetings, 
 and do still keep the goods of one person or more unsold, 
 and refuse to restore the goods to the respective ow- 
 ner or owners when desired by our Friends concern- 
 ed. Wherefore we entreat the king to speak to the 
 lord president, to write two or three lines to the mayor 
 and alderman of Leeds, to cause them to restore the 
 goods to the respective owners." And thereupon 
 George Whitehead delivered the case in writing to the 
 king. 
 
 King. " I'll do it ; I'll speak to my lord Sunderland 
 to write as you desire." Which accordingly he did, 
 and an order was the next day taken out for restitution 
 of the said goods. 
 
 George Whitehead. " We thankfully acknowledge the 
 king's kindness in this case also," &c. 
 
 Gilbert Laleij. " We pray God reward the king into 
 his bosom, for all his favours and kindnesses, and grant 
 him, if it be His will, long life and a happy reign here, 
 and a crown of immortal glory hereafter." 
 
 George Whitehead. " We sincerely desire it," &,c. 
 
 King. " 1 thank you heartily." 
 
 The liberty given by king James II. to his dissenting 
 subjects was, in the year 1G87, confirmed by a general 
 declaration for liberty of conscience ; by which free 
 leave was given to all to meet and serve God after 
 their own way and manner, whether in private houses 
 or places purposely provided for that use ; and all man- 
 ner of penal laws in matters ecclesiastical, for not com- 
 ing to Church, or any other nonconformity to the 
 established religion, were suspended by the king's sole 
 authority. Although in this declaration the king ex- 
 presses his wish, that all his subjects were members of 
 the Catholic Church, yet he says : 
 
 " We humbly thank Almighty God, it is and hath of 
 
 long time been our constant sense and opinion, which 
 
 upon divers occasions we have declared, that conscience 
 
 ought not to be constrained, nor people forced in mat-
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. Ill 
 
 tersof mere religion : it has ever been directly contrary 
 to our inclination, as we think it is to the interest of gov- 
 ernment ; which it destroys by spoiling trade, depopu- 
 lating countries, and discouraging strangers; and, 
 finally, that it never obtained the end for which it was 
 employed." 
 
 George Whitehead appears to have placed confi- 
 dence in the king's sincerity ; and perhaps he also 
 thought, if the king succeeded in gaining admission for 
 many of his Romish friends to offices even in the Estab- 
 lished Church, that lie would be able to support his 
 views in regard to liberty of conscience,* " As for us," 
 he says, " the people commonly called Q-uakers, and 
 our ministers, having no such revenues as tithes, hire, or 
 wages for preaching to lose, our Gospel being free, we 
 were not so afraid of popery or a popish prince and 
 clergy, as those who enjoy those great revenues which 
 the popish Church and priesthood claim, and would 
 gladly possess. 
 
 "The king having often seriously declared liberty of 
 conscience to be his principle and persuasion, and we 
 who had long deeply suffered partaking thereof, espe- 
 cially in the latter part of his reign, had great reason 
 to be the more easv and thankful that we had some 
 
 * It had been too obvious that the name of a protestant estab- 
 lishment was no security asfainst one of the worst features of pope- 
 ry — persecution ; and had the king succeeded in liis wishes, it is 
 highly probable tliat, in the state of parties, he could have support- 
 ed himself only by a general toleration of his protestant subjects ; 
 it was not, at any rate, surprizing, that those who had suffered so 
 severely under the protestant establishment, should take tiiis view 
 of the subject, and perhaps underrate the danger which attended 
 the king's designs. There is no doubt however, that many mem- 
 bers of the Society, at that time, viewed with serious alarm the 
 consequences to the country of the establishment o??i popish prince 
 and clergy, and wlio sincerely hailed thit ever memorable provi- 
 dence, by which the truly protestant VVilliaui and Mary were plac- 
 ed without bloodshed on the throne of England. To their reign, 
 as Besse remarks in the preface to his book of Quaker Sufferings, 
 " was reserved the glory of establishing to protestant dissenters, a 
 general liberty of conscience in religious worship." Editor.
 
 112 MEMOIRS, «kc. 
 
 relief from those extreme hardships we had long suffer- 
 ed under. 
 
 " Howbcit, the king's aforesaid declaration not hav- 
 ing the sanction of an act of parliament for confirmation 
 and continuance, we did not think our liberty secured 
 to us thcreb}^ any more than it was under the reign of 
 his brother, king Charles the Second, but uncertain and 
 precarious as it was before ; when we had only that 
 king's specious promises and declarations, which lasted 
 but a little while, and were soon made void by the 
 parliament and himself, and the many persecutors let 
 loose upon us again, because the same liberty granted 
 was not passed into a law." 
 
 George Whitehead does not think it his business to 
 treat of the particular causes of the king's removal 
 from the throne ; they are, says he, " matters of state 
 and government." lie piously refers the whole affair 
 to the counsels of " the Divine Majesty, the Searcher 
 of Hearts, by whom the intentions and designs of men 
 and princes are foreseen and known, who rules over 
 the kingdoms of men and gives them to whomsoever 
 He will,"
 
 ( 113 ) 
 
 SECTION XVIII. 
 
 Proceedings in the reign of William and Mary — Respecting the act 
 of toleration. — The case of Friends suffering for contempts, &c. 
 — The obtaining of an act for the admission of the solemn affir- 
 mation of Friends instead of an oath. 
 
 George Whitehead introduces his account of his own 
 and his Friends' proceedings in tiie early part of the 
 reign of William and Mary, with the following review. 
 
 The great and merciful providence of the Lord God 
 Almighty towards us his people, is worthy to be for ever 
 remembered. He gave us not over to the will of our 
 enemies, who often breathed out cruelty against us, 
 threatening our ruin and desolation ; blessed be our 
 God ! who hath frustrated their cruel designs and re- 
 strained the remainder of their wrath, and contrary 
 thereunto hath carried on his own work and prospered 
 the same, to his own praise and his people's comfort ; 
 causing all to work together for good, to all them who 
 truly love his Name and Power : blessed for ever be the 
 same ! 
 
 Although for the space of about twenty-five years, 
 from 1660 to 1084, we had but small respite from some 
 kind o( persecution or other, notwithstanding the liberty 
 of conscience so often promised and declared from the 
 throne; yet the Truth lost no ground, but gained 
 through all. The persecution time was a seed time, 
 for the Truth and Gospel of Christ Jesus which we 
 suffered for, and the faithful grew and multiplied. The 
 good seed of the Gospel being sown and planted, the 
 same increased and spread even in those suffering times, 
 which neither the devil nor his instruments could ever 
 root out. That Divine Presence attended us in our 
 many deep sufferings, which reached and tenderly af- 
 
 K 2
 
 114 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 fected many hearts and souls, as they beheld and ob- 
 served the patience and innocence wherein the Lord 
 sustained us in our many trials and sufferings, whereby 
 many were not only moved with compassion to us, but 
 also to enquire after the Lord and his Truth, the cause 
 for which we patiently suffered. As the more Israel 
 was afflicted and oppressed under Pharaoh in Egypt, 
 the more they multiplied and grew ; so as the Lord's 
 people have been persecuted and oppressed in this 
 Gospel day, the more their number has increased and 
 they multiplied; wherein still the merciful providence 
 of Almighty God has appeared, to frustrate the evil 
 designs of ungodly persecutors and wicked men. 
 
 And moreover, it is very remarkable and memor- 
 able, how the Lord God by his wisdom and power has 
 appeared and wrought for his people, in gradually 
 making way for that liberty of conscience so greatly 
 laboured for; insomuch that the understandings of ma- 
 ny in outward government, even of the supreme in au- 
 thority, have been so far enlightened, as to see that 
 liberty fiom persecution is not only most equal and con- 
 sistent with a Christian spirit and temper, but also with 
 their own safety and the peace of the government and 
 nation. Yea, 1 have heard it declared by a great per- 
 son of the Church of England, as in the name or person 
 of the Church, viz. " Neither we nor you are safe with- 
 out the toleration." And many that have formerly 
 had a hand in persecution, are now willing that former 
 sin of theirs should be covered, that they may be es- 
 teemed sincere for liberty of conscience against perse- 
 cution. Others, even j)ersons of note, have gloried and 
 seemed to rejoice, in that they never had a hand in 
 persecution, nor signed a warrant against any of us ; it 
 being generally, by men ingenuous and sober, deemed 
 scandalous, or a brand of infamy, to be accounted a 
 persecutor. 
 
 Hitherto then as the Lord our God hath been gra- 
 ciously pleased to help us through many deep sulferings, 
 hardships, and trials, lie hath also been at work in the
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 115 
 
 hearts of men in power; and in order to give his 
 churches among us rest, He prepared the heart of the 
 government, after the revolution, to allow us the sanc- 
 tion of a law for our liberty, together with other dis- 
 senting protestants, respecting our religious exercise in 
 our public assemblies. 
 
 And therefore now 1 may give some brief account 
 of the said act, and how 1 and others of our Friends 
 were concerned about the same. It commonly goes by 
 the title of " The Act of Toleration ;" but the real title 
 is, " An Act for exempting their majesties' Protestant 
 subjects, dissenting from the Church of England, from 
 the penalties of certain laws." Anno primo Gulielma 
 &. Marias. 
 
 The preamble is, viz. " Forasmuch as some ease to 
 scrupulous consciences, in the exercise of religion, may 
 be an effectual means to unite their majesties' pro- 
 testant subjects in interest and affection, be it enact- 
 ed,^' &c. 
 
 This act contains much of the substance, and divers 
 clauses of the bill, entitled, '' A bill of ease to all Pro- 
 testant Dissenters ;" which was endeavoured to have 
 been passed by the parliament in king Charles the Se- 
 cond's time, 1G80 and 1681, but not effected either in 
 his reign, or in his brother's succeeding, as before re- 
 lated. 
 
 After a bill was brought into the parliament in order 
 to the aforesaid act, entitled, '< An Act for exempting 
 their majesties' protestant subjects," &c. ; divers of our 
 Friends, with myself, had great care and concern upon 
 our minds, that it might be effectual and clear, without 
 being clogged or perplexed with any snare in it ; so that 
 we might be truly eased from persecution, and our reli- 
 gious liberties be uninterrupted. 
 
 Some of the terms in the said bill, required of pro- 
 testant dissenters to prove themselves Christians, were, 
 viz. '* That all such who profess faith in God the Fa- 
 ther, and in Jesus Christ his Eternal Son, the true God, 
 and in the Holy Spirit, coequal with the Father and
 
 116 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 the Son, one God, blessed for ever : and do acknowledge 
 the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, to 
 be the revealed will and word of God." 
 
 Although we knew when the parliament had thus 
 granted liberty of conscience to dissenting protestants, 
 in religious exercise, grounded upon this or the like 
 reason, namely, for the increase of Charity among 
 Christians, and that no person or persons professing the 
 protestant religion, although dissenting from the Church 
 of England, should be disquieted or called in question 
 for the same, that it was very fair and plausible : yet 
 to prevent any such from being stumbled or ensnared 
 by some expressions in the aforesaid profession or creed 
 which appeared unscriptural in the ^aid bill, we, in- 
 stead thereof, did propose and humbly ofler, as our own 
 real belief of the Deity of the Father, Son, and Holy 
 Ghost, viz. " 1 profess faith in God the Father, and in 
 Jesus Christ his Eternal Son, the true God, and in the 
 Holy Spirit, one God, blessed for ever : and do acknow- 
 ledge the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testa- 
 ment, to be given by Divine Inspiration." 
 
 This declaration John Vaughton and I delivered to 
 Sir Thomas Clergis, who, with some others, were de- 
 sirous we should give in such confession of our Christian 
 belief, that we might not lie under the unjust imputa- 
 tion of being no Christians, nor thereby be deprived of 
 the benefit of the intended law for our religious liberty. 
 We were therefore of necessity put upon oifering the 
 said confession, it being also our known professed prin- 
 ciple, sincerely to confess Christ the Son of the Living 
 God, his Divinity, and as He is the Eternal AVord ; and 
 that the Three which bear record in heaven, the Fa- 
 ther, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, are One : One 
 Divine Being, One God, blessed for ever. 
 
 Moreover, the said Sir Thomas Clergis, being satis- 
 fied with our confession aforesaid, delivered unto him, 
 moved for the same before a grajid committee of the 
 whole house of conmions, mentioning some of our names 
 from whom he had the said confession ; whereupon we
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 117 
 
 were called into the house, and some other Friends, as 
 William Mead and John Osgood, that the committee 
 might have our confession from ourselves, and the par- 
 liament be the better satisfied therewith in hearing us : 
 so that I had then occasion to answer the committee 
 very clearly arid to their satisfaction, both as to our 
 really owning the Deity, and the Holy Scriptures of 
 the Old and New Testament as given forth by Divine 
 Inspiration. The last being most in question, we gave 
 them such plain and clear satisfaction, both as to the 
 holy doctrine contained in the Scriptures of the Old and 
 New Testament, and to the historical parts thereof, as 
 being preserved by Divine Providence to us, that I 
 clearly perceived our confession and testimony had such 
 influence and effect upon the spirit of the parliament, 
 that it made for the furtherance of the said bill, in order 
 to bring it into an act. 
 
 Some of the members would have had it made but 
 a temporary act, for three years ; in which 1 opposed 
 them, and showed the unreasonableness of such a limi- 
 tation of our religious liberty, urging that it ought to 
 be perpetual So after much labour and attending on 
 our parts, the bill was passed. 
 
 Although under the early reign of king William the 
 Third, we had so far obtained liberty by law, as to en- 
 joy our religious meetings for the worship of God peace- 
 ably ; yet there remained many of our Friends prison- 
 ers, and under prosecution by priests and others, for 
 nonpayment of tithes, and many of them detained in 
 prisons, chiefly upon contempts, as their term is, for 
 not answering upon oath to the priests' bills and 
 plaints, &.C. 
 
 These cases being considered among us, after I had 
 impartially stated and drawn them up, our Friends 
 agreed to have them presented to the king, that he 
 might both understand their cases and suffering, for 
 not paying tithes and not swearing. 
 
 Our Friends thereupon desiring me to present the 
 case to the king, and to take with me three or four of
 
 118 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 our Friends whom I pleased, that were free thereto, 1 
 accepted of that service ; being always willing to serve 
 and help sutTering Friends, as 1 had been in the two 
 king's reigns before, according to my ability, and as the 
 Lord was pleased to enable me. 
 
 Whereupon 1 desired my ancient companion in soli- 
 citation, Gilbert Latey, with Thomas Lower the doc- 
 tor, John Taylor of York, my late brother-in-law, and 
 our friend Daniel Quare, to accompany me to the king. 
 Daniel Quarc, being known to the king, which the rest 
 of us then were not, we sent him in to procure our ac- 
 cess into his presence. The king enquired of him 
 " who we were, and in what station or places among 
 our people ?' Daniel told him, " We were ministers 
 and elders among us." 
 
 The king then sent for us into a little private apart- 
 ment, where he was alone, and I presented our case, 
 which I desired him Awourably to accept: which he 
 did. He enquired of us, what places we belonged to, 
 or to what congregations we did minister? Which 
 gave me good occasion to answer him, " that we were 
 not settled as ministers or pastors over any particular 
 congregations, but visited our Friends' meetings in di- 
 vers places, as the Lord inclined us; for we do not 
 make a gain of our ministry; we do not take stipenfls 
 or hire for preaching ; but preach the Gospel freely, 
 according to Christ's command to his ministers; ' Free- 
 ly ye have received, freely give,' (fcc." The king gave 
 no reply, but appeared very serious, and satisfied with 
 my answer. 
 
 I proffered to read our case to him ; he said, " Nay, 
 he would read it himself;" seeming rather willing to 
 hear us in discourse, than read at that time. 
 
 I thereupon acquainted him, that the chief of our 
 Friends' sufferings then was, because they cannot make 
 their answers to the priest's suits for tithes upon oath, 
 which for conscience sake they refused in any case ; 
 and no less for conscience' sake do they refuse the pay- 
 ment of tithes, whereby the priests take great advan-
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 119 
 
 tage against our Friends, to run them to contempts and 
 imprisonments, and to make seizures upon their goods 
 and estates, &c. wherefore we had applied to the par- 
 liament for reHef in the case of oaths, that they might 
 not be imposed upon us in any case; we offering to 
 submit to the penalty of perjury, in case any of us 
 were found false or corrupt in our evidence or testimo- 
 nies given without oath. But our application to the 
 parliament had not taken eflfect as desired, it being 
 sometimes prorogued or otherwise dismissed, before we 
 could get our case through both houses. 
 
 This our case of conscience in refusing to swear, I 
 told the king, was the same with the people's called 
 Menists in the Low Countries, as it was a matter of 
 conscience to them ; to whom his predecessors gave li- 
 berty that their word, in attesting the truth in courts, 
 &c. might be accepted instead of an oath, which is 
 what we desire ; and therefore when we might see it a 
 season to apply again to the parliament for relief in this 
 case, 1 desired the king to stand our friend, and favour- 
 ably to recommend our case to some leading members 
 of parliament ; which he seriously promised he would 
 do. 
 
 And accordingly he did perform his promise, as we 
 had account from some of the friendly members of par- 
 liament; one of whom in particular told me, he was 
 present with the king and one of the house of lords, 
 and heard them discourse about the Quakers ; and how 
 the king pleaded on their behalf, contrary to some ob- 
 jections that lord made against them; which were, 
 that they were disaffected to the government. And 
 that the king answered him : "My lord, I am not of 
 your opinion ; for there is an honest people among 
 them." This much the said member, Sir John Austin, 
 told me. 
 
 I also remember in the discourse I had with the 
 king, when I answered him in several things before 
 mentioned, relating to our conscience and Christian 
 testimony, he made this objection, viz. : " You are a
 
 120 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 divided people." I told him : "No ; as we are a peo- 
 ple we are not divided, hut in union: although there 
 are sonrie who have separated or gone out from us, and 
 therefore are not of us, as there were of old some who 
 separated and went out from the primitive Christians ; 
 yet we remain a people in unity, that is, of the same 
 faith and profession." To which our friend John Tay- 
 lor added ; " Such as turned into separation or division 
 from us, were some disorderly persons, who therefore 
 were denied by us :" or to that very effect. And I 
 farther added : "That I had known the people called 
 Quakers from the first ; and, as a people, they were 
 still the same as to faith and principles, which allows 
 rot of division or separation." 
 
 The king replied to this efTect, viz.: "But some 
 among you are disalfected to the government." 
 
 1 answered: " It is a hard matter for us to enter in- 
 to the private affections of persons, without some overt 
 act ; we do not know that any of our Friends have 
 manifested disaflcction to the government ; for if we 
 did certainly know that any of those in communion with 
 us, should by any overt act, in word or deed, show any 
 disaffection to the present government, we should cer- 
 tainly disown them therein, and give testimony against 
 them. It is true, we have of late been aspersed, and 
 misrepresented with such nicknames as Meadites and 
 Pennites, as if we set up sect-masters among us: yet 
 we own no such thing; but Christ Jesus to be our on- 
 ly Master, as we are a Christian society and people." 
 The king ai)peared well satisfied with my answer, and 
 with the rest of our discourse ; being very serious in 
 his attention to the matters proposed unto him. 
 
 I must confess I had very great satisfaction and free- 
 dom of spirit, to open divers weighty matters relating 
 to our principles and testimony ; and I had therein the 
 more freedom, because he was seriously attentive to 
 hear and receive information concerning us. 
 
 Near the conclusion I proposed to the king, that in- 
 asmuch as the Lord keeper, viz. the lord Somers,
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 121 
 
 knew the laws, and how far the king might safely ex- 
 tend his prerogative, particularly in the case we had 
 delivered, if he pleased we would deliver him a copy 
 thereof, that he might be the better prepared to give 
 advice in our case, what way the king might release 
 our Friends, who were prisoners upon contempts, as set 
 forth in the said case. The king answered : " You 
 may deliver it, (that is, a copy,) to him ; for I'll speak 
 with my lord keeper about it." After our humble and 
 grateful acknowledgment of the king's kindness to us, 
 and our suffering Friends, we withdrew. 
 
 The next day, or soon after we had been with the 
 king, our friend John Edge went with me to the said 
 lord keeper, with a copy of the case, which I thus in- 
 troduced when I gave it : 1 told him we had presented 
 the case to the king, and having heard a good charac- 
 ter of thyself, (I being then little acquainted with him,) 
 we made bold to mention thee to the king for counsel 
 in this case, how our Friends who are prisoners upon 
 contempts might be released ; and the king told us, he 
 would speak with the lord keeper about it. 
 
 The lord keeper took it kindly, showing not only his 
 own desire our suffering Friends should be released 
 and enjoy their liberties, but also freely signified to us, 
 that the king was really for liberty of conscience to 
 dissenters, and that it was his real principle ; which 
 we were very glad to hear from him, being a person of 
 honour and credit. 
 
 In a very short time after the case of the suffering 
 Friends had been presented to the king and lord keep- 
 er, there came out an act of grace, in the year 1G95, 
 pardoning contempts, &,c. whereupon about forty of 
 our Friends were discharged out of the prisons. 
 
 Though the prisoners were then set free, the laws 
 by which they had suffered remained in force, and 
 would doubtless soon have supplied the prisons again, 
 if succ€;ssful means had not been used to obtain a law 
 by which the affirmation of Friends might be received 
 
 VOL. II. L
 
 122 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 instead of an oath. The time seemed now arrived 
 when such a proposal niiglit be safely made to the le- 
 gislature by the Sociely ; and George Whitehead, as 
 usual, appears to have taken the most active part in 
 the solicitation of the measure. He inserts in his me- 
 moirs a very particular account of the proceedings. 
 
 A case was drawn up, stating clearly the grounds of 
 the Society's scruple against oaths, namely, that it was 
 purely a case of conscience, resting on their understand- 
 ing of Christ's words ; which in comm.on with many 
 ancient martyrs in the early periods of the Christian 
 Church, they* believed to forbid swearing in all cases. 
 They declared themselves ready to answer the just and 
 good ends of law and government, as a peaceable peo- 
 ple fearing (jod ; stated the grievance under which 
 they laboured from refusing to swear, both in their 
 persons and estates ; and concluded with the following 
 request, viz. : " That in all cases where oaths are im- 
 imposed and swearing required, our word, that is, our 
 solemn aflirmation or denial as in the fear and presence 
 of God, may be accepted instead of an oath ; for which 
 we humbly otFer and freely submit, that if any be found 
 false in such Iheir affirmation, that then such penalty 
 be inflicted on the person so oircnding, as law and jus- 
 tice require in case of false swearing or perjury." 
 
 It is evident from the statement made of the griev- 
 ances endured by the Society on account of their reli- 
 gious scruple, that they must have more or less aflfected 
 nearly all its members ; and their patient and unosten- 
 tatious suffering under their remaining trials, is a valu- 
 able testimonyto the continued faith and piety of the 
 Society. 
 
 They were disabled froyn recovering debts by legal 
 process ; from defending their titles and properties ; from 
 being znitnesses in courts of judicature ; and from prov- 
 in'T "wills or taking administration. Their young r)ien 
 toere not alloiotd their freedom in cities and corporations, 
 ■when they had served Ihtir apprenticeships ; and in many 
 places they were debarred the exercise of their right as
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 123 
 
 freeholders, in the election of magistralfs and members 
 of parliament. 
 
 A petition embodying a brief statement of their case 
 and wishes, was presented to the house of commons on 
 the 7th of the 12th month, 1005. It was followed by 
 a motion for leave to bring in a bill, that " the solemn 
 affirmation and negation or denial of the Quakers, might 
 be accepted instead of an oath, 4rf." The motion was 
 carried by a large majority : " Whereupon," says 
 George Whitehead, " many of the members came out 
 to us, with great joy, love, and tenderness, and showed 
 their satisftiction that they had so well gained the point 
 for us." 
 
 George Whitehead gives the following account of 
 his and his Friends' proceedings in this important bu- 
 siness. 
 
 Leave being given to bring in a bill, according to our 
 petition, several draughts were prepared; the first by 
 counsellor Conyers, which was something long, yet he 
 took some pains in it, to answer what we requested in 
 our petition, particularly about our solemn affirmation, 
 &-C. to be accepted instead of taking an oath, and to 
 exempt us from swearing. In his bill, he stated the 
 matter, that the Quakers should solemnly declare the 
 truth, in like manner and form of words, as are used by 
 all other persons who are required to declare the same, 
 except only the attestation thereof upon oath ; that is, 
 the words swear, and, so help me God, &c. to be omit- 
 ted. But then to make our attestation, affirmation, or 
 negation, so solemn as was expected from us by the 
 parliament, in courts of justice, &-c, it was the opinion 
 of most of our friends in parliament, that there must 
 be some solemn or sacred expressions, religiously re- 
 specting God, as solemnly to declare the truth in his 
 presence : which we durst not gainsay, least we should 
 be deemed atheistical ; it being our principle, that God 
 is omnipresent, and omniscient also. 
 
 However, as in a multitude of counsel there is safety.
 
 124 3IEM0IRS OF 
 
 we discoursed the point with several ingenuous nfien of 
 the house of comnnons, that we might proceed with 
 what safety and success we could. We went particu- 
 larly to Sir Francis VVynington, an ancient, able coun- 
 sel, who greatly stood our friend ; and we showed him 
 counsellor Conyer's draught of the said bill, which, upon 
 perusal Sir Francis judged much too long, and that it 
 would be the more tedious and diflicult to get it through 
 the house, into an act ; adding this reason, that it had 
 better be too short, than too long, that the committee 
 might have the amending of it, and then they would be 
 the more willing to pass it; whereupon he drew up a 
 short bill, but would not insert therein the bare words, 
 yea or nay, for attestation in courts of justice : and to 
 olfer the same in the house of commons, in a bill, for 
 an act of parliament, his opinion was, would be laughed 
 at, or ridiculed and rejected. 
 
 Many others were of the same mind, that such ex- 
 pressions, or terms, must be offered in the bill, as might 
 appear solemn, or sacred, whether in afiirmation or 
 negation ; as to declare, in the presence of God, to an 
 answer or evidence, &c. Their forms of oaths, and 
 swearing, having been of such long standing, and such 
 great stress and obligation laid upon them, for many 
 hundred years, that it was a very dilhcult point, and a 
 great thing to gain any such variation from them, as 
 conscientiously to declare, or affirm, in the presence of 
 Almighty God, instead of the imprecation oath, of, "so 
 help me God;" and the ceremony of handling, and kiss- 
 ing the bible. 
 
 To obtain such a great alteration from an oath, and 
 imprecation, to a plain solemn affirmation, as before, 
 was indeed a great point, as many of our Friends were 
 very sensible of, and thankful for, when it was gained. 
 
 The bill as drawn up by Sir Francis Wynington, 
 was read the 17th of 12th month (February) 1095, the 
 tirst time. Read again the 3rd of the 1st month, 1G95, 
 a second time, and committed ; the same day the com-
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 125 
 
 mittee met. For its being committed 130 votef, against 
 it 08 ; more for it, than against G2. 
 
 Tlie 4th of the 1st month, the committee met again 
 and passed the bill. The 10th of the 1st month, or- 
 dered it to be engrossed; and the 1.3th day, the bill 
 passed the house of commons, by HG voices for it, and 
 99 against it ; 47 more yeas than noes; and the same 
 dav it was carried to the house of lords, where it was 
 read twice; but the opposition some members of that 
 house made td us herein, did occasion our longer atten- 
 dance, and labour to inform them rightly of our case, 
 and the necessity of our being relieved. Upon my rea- 
 soning with divers of the peers who had opposed us 
 herein, I did so far convince them, that they were 
 changed in judgment and opinion concerning us, and 
 did appear for us in this our case ; insomuch that I was 
 daily sensible, the hand of the Lord our God, that was 
 with us in our industrious endeavours, made way and 
 did work for us therein. 
 
 To Him be the glory of all for ever ! 
 
 To incline the house of peers to grant relief from our 
 sufferings for not swearing, our case was reprinted, and 
 presented with several reasons subjoined ; and among 
 others, this following, viz. 
 
 We also propose to your serious consideration, that 
 this moderation to persons scrupling to swear, hath had 
 good effects in our neighbouring countries, as above one 
 hundred years' experience hath manifested, in the fol- 
 lowing instance: on the 26th day of January, 1577, 
 Guillaume de Nassau, prince of Orange, and stadt- 
 holder of Holland, Zealand, &c. with the consent 
 of the government and council, sent his mandate 
 to the magistrates, commanding (on behalf of the peo- 
 ple called Menists, who refused to swear in any case) 
 that their yea should be accepted, and taken instead 
 of an oath, they being subject, in case of falsifying the 
 truth, to the pains of perjury. 
 
 In the year 1,593, prince Maurice, son of the former 
 prince, with the consent of the states, gave forth a pla- 
 
 L 2
 
 126 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 card or mandate, in behalf of the Menists, to the same 
 effect, dec. 
 
 Upon these passages of the Menists having this Hber- 
 ty to be exempted from taking an oath, upon their yea, 
 there was this quotation in the margin of the second 
 impression, viz. " G. Burnet's History of the Reforma- 
 tion in the Low Countries, part I. p. 587, 588." 
 
 Whereupon some of the temporal lords told me, that 
 the bishop of Salisbury had taken occasion to exclaim 
 against the Quakers openly, in the house of lords, for 
 falsely quoting his name as author of the said history. 
 Whereby I was somewhat surprized, and told the lords 
 1 would make enquiry about the mistake ; and quickly 
 searching the first impression, found it to be a literal 
 mistake of the printer; for in the first, it is G. Brant's 
 history, not Burnet's. I went the next day and showed 
 the same, as first printed, to two of the said lords, that 
 is, the earl of Carbery, and earl of Marlborough, desir- 
 ing them to call the said bishop out, that I might show 
 him where the mistake was ; which they did, and then 
 I plainly showed the bishop, that it was a literal mis- 
 take of the printer, and that the Quakers could have 
 no design to misrepresent him in the quotation ; nei- 
 ther could the literal mistake be any great disparage- 
 ment to him, to be rendered the author of such a noted 
 or esteemed history of the reformation. And therefore 
 I hoped he would pardon the mistake, so as not to 
 charge us therewith ; which he cheerfully granted, 
 making then but slight thereof. Thereupon 1 wished 
 liim to be our friend, with respect to the bill depending 
 before the house of lords to relieve us from oaths. He 
 objected that the name of God was not mentioned in it, 
 viz. solemnly to bear witness in the presence of God; 
 and if we did not allow of that, he would be against 
 us ; but if " the presence of God" was in it, he pro- 
 mised he would be for us. 
 
 I told him, those solemn expressions, " In the pre- 
 sence of God," were in the bill as it came from the 
 house of commons, 1 was sure ; desiring him to go in
 
 G. AVIIITEHEAD. 127 
 
 and see the bill, that he might satisfy himself of the 
 truth thereof; so he went into the house of lords to see 
 the bill, and quickly came forth again to us, standing 
 with the two temporal lords ; and he then said, " it was 
 true as I had told him, ' the presence of God' was men- 
 tioned in the bill.'" The earl of Carbery told him : 
 " Then you were mistaken, my lord." Whereupon I 
 said to him, I hoped he would now be for the bill, and 
 be present when it was read a second time. He pro- 
 raised before the two lords he would ; but was not, be- 
 ing absent the day it was moved ; of which notice was 
 taken by them and others. Howbeit the Lord our 
 Heavenly Father stood by us and helped us, and in- 
 clined many of those in power to help forward the case 
 for our relief. 
 
 On the 15th of the 2nd month, called April, 1696, 
 the bill was read a second time, and committed to a 
 committee of the whole house, and then some debate 
 held a while, chiefly about a solemn declaration instead 
 of an oath ; some of them not willing it should pass in 
 those general and solemn expressions, as sent up from 
 the house of commons, viz. their solemn affirmation or 
 declaration, to be in the presence of Almighty God. But 
 some of the bishops, &c. urging some other words to 
 be added, as 
 
 1. 1 call God to witness and judge, &,c. 
 
 2. As witness and judge, &-c. 
 
 3. I call God to record upon my soul, and appeal to 
 God as Judge, Slc. 
 
 Whereupon divers of the temporal lords came out 
 several times (we waiting at several doors and ways 
 into the house of lords) to discourse about those words 
 some of the bishops would have had put upon us ; to all 
 which, as I told some of them at first, our soliciting and 
 petitioning to be freed from the imposition and burthen 
 of all oaths, was not to have any new oath to be im- 
 posed upon us ; for if there be any imprecation, appeal- 
 ing to, or invocating God as judge or avenger, &c. it
 
 128 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 would be construed to be an oath, or of the nature of 
 an oath. 
 
 Upon this and the hke expressions, some of those 
 lords who were most friendly to us returned into the 
 house, to discourse farther with the bishops, &c. when 
 they perceived how tender and careful we were, not to 
 be imposed upon in any thing contrary to our con- 
 sciences. After they had further discoursed in the 
 committee with those bishops, &c. they came out again 
 to us in the lobby, where a few of us were attending 
 under a true Christian care and fear towards Almighty 
 God : and those lords who came out to us, and showed 
 most care and kindness to us, urged, that inasmuch as 
 the bishops were caught upon these words, to be added 
 to the word God, viz. " the Witness of the truth of what 
 I say," as containing no imprecation nor invocation of 
 God, as Judge or Avenger, &c. ; those lords that were 
 most our friends, were very earnest that we would 
 admit of the addition of the words which they proposed 
 to be added, rather than to lose our bill or have it 
 thrown out ; forasmuch as God is really witness to the 
 truth sincerely declared, He being omniscient as well 
 as omnispresent. Then seeing the bishops were argued 
 out of their tirst proposition, of calling God to witness 
 and judge, &c. ; the matter was left to them that then 
 appeared our friends, and were really kind to us, with 
 this caution, not to exceed these words which they had 
 obtained concession to, viz. " the Witness of the truth." 
 Whereupon they constrained the bishops so as not to 
 exceed them, by any imprecation, invocation, or appeal 
 to God, as Judge, Avenger, &.c. 
 
 After report made of their amendments by the com- 
 mittee of the lords^ house, the bill was passed, with this 
 following form of a solemn atlirmation inserted in it, and 
 agreed unto by the house of peers, where it was formed, 
 viz.: " 1, A. B., do declare in the presence of Almighty 
 God, the Witness of the truth of what I say."* 
 
 * This declaration was by the act made to liavo the force of an
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 129 
 
 With some few additions in the bill the same day, 
 they returned the bill to the house of commons ; who 
 on the 17th of the said 2nd month, called April, agreed 
 to the lords' amendments; and on the 20th of the same 
 
 oath in all cases except tliose included in the following provision : 
 " Tliat no Quaker shall h}' this act he qualified to give evidence in 
 any criminal causes, or serve on any juries, or hear any office or 
 place of profit in the government." 
 
 The terms of the alfirmation were far from being satisfactory to 
 many Friends. The dissalisjied, considered the definition of an 
 oatli to be a solemn appeal to God, as lo the truth of any declaration ; 
 and in this sense they believed it to be forbidden in the New Tes- 
 tament. It appears from the remarks of George Whitehead, that 
 those who were satisfied with the alfirmation as granted in the act, 
 though tJiey would have preferred a simpler form, looked upon the 
 imprecation in the conclusion of the usual form of the oath, and the 
 holding and kissing the book, as constituting the objectionable parts 
 of the act. It is not my business here to discuss the question of 
 which party took the more correct view ; but as a circumstance in 
 the history of our present privileges, it seems worthy of notice, that 
 the dissatisfaction which prevailed with the allowed form, led to 
 the continuance of suffering in several instances, and to much pain- 
 ful discussion in the church. Thomas Story, who was himself a 
 dissentient, and a suff'orer for being so, lias preserved in his journal 
 many particulars relative to this subject, and the following passage 
 from his work, will, I think, be interesting to the reader, in con- 
 nexion with George Whitehead's account. 
 
 Under the date of 1715, after speaking of the Yearly Meeting, 
 he says : '• As the alFirmatioii, from the beginning of it, had oc- 
 casioned much disturbance in the church, some being for, and some 
 against it ; so these divisions had ever been very oppressive to 
 my spirit, as knowing nothing could hurt us more than that, or 
 give satan or evil men more advantage against us : but though, 
 from its first birth I never liked it, yat i ever kept true charity to 
 those Friends who were for it, as believing they saw no hurt in it, 
 though, I thought, 1 did ; and, at my coming over to London, I 
 laboured among them, to regain and keep a right temper one to- 
 wards anotiier : and, as they talked of a farther solicitation con- 
 cerning it, (the late act being ready to expire,) I advised several 
 leading men on both sides to proceed in one joint interest as one 
 people ; for though we could not all agree about the definition of 
 an oath, or in what relation the allirmation stood to an oath ; yet 
 we all were as one man still, that an oath is not consistent with 
 Christ's doctrine; and accordingly they did both solicit for a plain 
 alfirmation, without the Sacred Name at all ; but that could not be 
 obtained ; all that the parliament would do, was to perpetuate the 
 former, adding some clauses for the levying of tithes. When this 
 came to be discoursed in the meeting, the minds of some on both
 
 130 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 month, the said hill was sent up again to the house of 
 peers, agreed on, concluded, and confirmed by the king 
 and both houses of parliament, as a temporary act, 
 then to continue in force for seven years, from the 14th 
 
 sides being he?.led, things were like to run high ; but the Lord was 
 near, and, by his blessed wisdom and power, preserved us in unity. 
 Some few of tliese who were for the affirmation inclined to have 
 it established over all, as the testimony of Truth by the Yearly 
 Meeting ; and some others, on the othor side, were resolved to reject 
 it, and testify against it, as short of the testimony of Truth : but 
 seeing the tendency of such a division, 1 and some o.hers laboured 
 for peace ; and, with much long-suflering, patience, and labour in the 
 love and wisdom of Truth, and as it opened and made way, things 
 came at last to this good issue, that such as could take the affir- 
 mation, might have the benefit of it without censure of their bre- 
 thren, and such as could not take it, should not be reproached by 
 them ; but that the Meeting fur Sufferings should continue their 
 care and solicitations, together with the dissatisfied, for further ease 
 in that point, at a fit season : and with this conclusion both sides 
 were at last easy, and the meeting ended in more peace and bro- 
 therly kindness than for some years before, and to a more general 
 satisfaction ; for which my soul was truly thankful, with many 
 more." 
 
 The discussions were renewed at the Yearly Meetings for seve- 
 ral succeeding years; and at last several Friends who were satisfied 
 with the affirmation, as it had been granted by parliament, propos- 
 ed that a fresh solicitation should take place, for such a form as 
 should meet the wishes of their conscientious dissentient brethren. 
 The proposal was adopted ; and, in consequence, Tliomas Story, 
 with one or more of the other part}', had interviews with the earl 
 of Carlisle, the earl of Sunderland, the duke of Somerset, and se- 
 veral bishops ; from whom they received friendly expressions of 
 willingness to give ease to tender consciences in regard to the affir- 
 mation. The king, Geo. I., was also applied to, and appeared very 
 friendly to the cause of liberty. A petition was addressed to par- 
 liament, in the year 1721, prai/ingfor leave to bring in a bill for such 
 form of affirmation, as might relieve the difficulties wider which many 
 members of the Society laboured, from their scruple to the usual form. 
 The house of commons readily granted the request, but it met a 
 violent opposition in the house of lords, from many peers both tem- 
 poral and spiritual. Atterbur}^ bishop of Rochester, said : " he did 
 not know why such a distinguishing mark of indulgence should be 
 allowed to a set of people who were hardly Christians.''^ When 
 the bill came before the house, the archbishop of Canterbury mov- 
 ed, tiiat the Quaker's afHrmation might not be allowed in courts of 
 judicature, excejit among themselves ; and the archbishop of York 
 moved for a clause, that the Quaker's affirmation should not go in 
 any suit at law for tithes ; but, after some debate, the question be-
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 131 
 
 of May, 1696, and from thence to the end of the next 
 session of parliament, according to the words of the act. 
 The act was renewed again for eleven years, beginning 
 the 22nd of November, 1702 ; at which time not being 
 well in heahh, I could be but little with the other 
 Friends in their attendance on the parliament in that 
 concern. 
 
 In 1714 the act was made perpetual ; and in 1721, 
 as already stated at the conclusion of the last note, the 
 form of the affirmation was altered so as to meet the 
 wishes of the more scrupulous members of the Society. 
 
 The next point which claimed the particular atten- 
 tion of this vigilant guardian of the Society's interest, 
 was connected with its scruple against tithes, &,c. A 
 bill was brought into parliament for the " better pay- 
 ment of church rates, small tithes, and other church 
 dues ; and the better passing churchwarden's accounts." 
 The betler loay which the bill proposed, was giving new 
 powers to the ecclesiastical courts. It recited an act 
 of Henry VIII. which em/joa-ercr/ justices to commit to 
 gaol, persons proved in the ecclesiastical courts to have 
 obstinately and wilfully refused to pay their tithes; but 
 it was now proposed to empower the ecclesiastical 
 judge to determine all such matters absolutely : but 
 with the true hypocrisy of a persecuting church, the 
 civil magistrate was to be called upon, without the ex- 
 ercise of any discretion on his part, to issue out his 
 warrant of distress, or if that was not to be found, to 
 commit the party to prison. 
 
 The bill made its appearance in the house of lords; 
 and having been referred to a committee, George White- 
 
 ing put theron, was carried into the negative by fifty-two voices 
 against twenty-one ; and the question being put in the house whe- 
 ther the bill should pass, it was resolved in the allirmalive. By 
 this bill the affirmation was established in the simple form, I ^.B., 
 do iolemnly, siuccrdy and IrnJij declare and ajfirm. whereby ease and 
 rehef was extended universally to the members of this Society in 
 respect to oaths. Gough, voi. iv. p. 190.
 
 132 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 head with seven other Friends were admitted, at their 
 request, to state their objections to it. The bishop of 
 London was the chairman ; and having asked them 
 what they had to except against the bill, George White- 
 head spoke on behalf of the deputation, and he gives 
 the following account of the interview. 
 
 1 answered : " The same reason that is given in the 
 act of parliament, in the 17th of king Charles the First, 
 for the taking away the court commonly called the Star 
 Chamber; and the power of the ecclesiastical commis- 
 sioners, and their high commission court, being re- 
 moved ; because of their oppressive and arbitrary pro- 
 ceedings, &c. upon the repeal of a branch of a statute, 
 primo Elizabeth, concerning commissioners for causes 
 ecclesiastical, 17 Charles I. cap, 10 and J 1 ; it is con- 
 ceived, with submission, that the same reasons may be 
 alleged against the present bill giving such absolute 
 power to the ecclesiastical courts, their judges and or- 
 dinaries, to give the definite sentence and judgment, 
 &c. that is, as therein described." 
 
 Bishop. "■ You except against the bill itself, &-c. ; 
 what particulars do you object against ?" 
 
 George IVhitchead. " Observing divers particular 
 clauses therein, it appears contrary to the great charter 
 of England, that is magna charta, as the arbitrary and 
 oppressive proceedings of the star chamber and high 
 commission court were adjudged to be ; and therefore 
 they and their power or jurisdiction which they ex- 
 ercised, were justly taken away from them. 
 
 " By the present bill, the ecclesiastical judge or or- 
 dinary, is made the sole judge and determiner by his 
 definitive sentence, concerning the penalties upon the 
 persons and estates; and no appeal to any other or 
 higher court, seems to be granted or allowed by it. 
 
 " The ecclesiastical judge and court commonly favour 
 the plaintiif, that is, the vicar, priest, or curate, as a 
 party for him, and therefore appear not to be impartial 
 judges in the case. 
 
 " And suppose the defendant be sued for a tithe-pig,
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 133 
 
 goose, or hen, or a little orchard fruit, (that is, a few 
 apples, pears, plums, or cherries, or the value thereof,) 
 and the party for conscience' sake cannot pay the 
 same, then must he or she be committed to prison for 
 it. Surely there is no proportion between the punish- 
 ment and the pretended ollence ; whereas punishments 
 ought not to exceed the nature of the otfence, they 
 should be adapted to the quality and quantity of the 
 offence; as it is a maxim in common law and justice, 
 and in magna charta, for a greater offence a greater 
 amercement; and for a lesser offence a lesser amerce- 
 ment. But if a person for conscience' sake cannot pay 
 a tithe-pig, or goose, &c. the ecclesiastical court, judge 
 or ordinary, by their certificate, will cause two justices 
 to commit the person to jail, there to remain perhaps 
 without bail or mainprize, until the court receive satis- 
 faction, or until payment ; which if he can never do, 
 there he must remain under confinement till death ; and 
 his days may be soon shortened thereby, as many 
 have been, by close confinement, causing sickness, &c." 
 
 One of the committee queried : " Which would you 
 have then ? do you choose rather to have your goods 
 seized or distrained, than imprisonment of your per- 
 sons?" 
 
 George Whitehead answered : '* Of two evils we had 
 better suffer by the less, yet choose neilher. If we must 
 suffer for nonpayment of tithes, we would rather suffer 
 the less penalty than the greater; rather loss of goods 
 than our liberties ; as it is a more easy suffering, to have 
 the small tithes or a tenth taken away, than to be con- 
 fined in prison all our life time. 
 
 '^ As to paying parish cleiks or sextons, or to the 
 fabrics of parochial churches, (so the bishop termed 
 them,) we do not think it equal we should suffer for not 
 paying to them, whom we do not employ ; and we do 
 not require any of the Church of England to pay toward 
 the repair of our meeting houses, they would not be so 
 dealt by, &c." 
 
 The bishop reflected : " What, then, you compare 
 
 VOL. II. M
 
 134 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 your meeting houses to ours, which are established by 
 law," 6lc. 1 replied : " We are thankful to the govern- 
 ment, ours are now legally allowed by the late act of 
 exemption or toleration, (kc." 
 
 One of the lords temporal put this question to us, viz. 
 '* But what reason have you in point of conscience, for 
 your refusing to pay tithes?" 
 
 I answered : " That is a serious and weighty ques- 
 tion, and deserves such an answer, viz. the reason of 
 our conscience in this case, is grounded upon and has 
 respect unto our Lord Jesus Christ, his command in his 
 commission to his ministers : ' Freely ye have received, 
 freely give,' Malt. x. And to his changing the priest- 
 hood of Levi, and disannulling the commandment and 
 their law for tithes, as is fully signified in the 7th chap- 
 ter to the llibrezvs. Therefore Christ's ministry is a 
 free ministry, under the Gospel Dispensation, and not 
 to be upheld by tithes or forced maintenance ; and it 
 is very manifest, that Christ changed the priesthood 
 from the tribe of Levi to Himself, (as our great High 
 Priest,) who came not of the tribe of Levi, but of the 
 tribe of Judah ; of which tribe Moses spake nothing 
 concerning priesthood, Heb. vii. 14. 
 
 " And our refusing to pay tithes for conscience' sake, 
 in these respects, in this Gospel day, and for these rea- 
 sons, under the Gospel Dispensation, is no new or strange 
 thing; for many eminent martyrs and reformers were 
 of the same judgment with us, in this matter or testi- 
 mony against tithes, in this Dispensation, &c." 
 
 And as I was then beginning to mention some of those 
 martyrs, &c. as William Thorpe, Walter Brute, John 
 Wicklitr, &.C. the said bishop being chairman, was 
 pleased to interrupt me from proceeding further in my 
 instances, and thus reflectingly turned upon me : " Here 
 you bring scraps of Scripture, but we have Scripture 
 as well as you, viz : ' If we have sown unto you spiri- 
 tual things, should not we reap of your temporal or 
 carnal things.' ' And the Lord hath ordained, that they 
 who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel,' &c."
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 135 
 
 Answer: " Reaping temporal things, or living of the 
 Gospel, is not limited to tithes." 
 
 Here being interrupted and prevented from further 
 discourse against tithes, the bishop asked us : "Have 
 you any exceptions to olFcr in writing ?" 
 
 1 answered : ''• Yes, we have :" which we then deli- 
 vered to the clerk, John flelpli, Esq. to read •, which he 
 did very distinctly, and no reply was given ; but the 
 bishop directed him to lay them by for further consi- 
 deration. But we heard of no further consideration or 
 debate about the said bill in the house of lords, but 
 that it was wholly laid aside. 
 
 The temporal lords that were present in the said 
 committee were very civil to us; and after that dis- 
 course, divers of them appeared more kind to us than 
 ever before. 
 
 I was very glad and esteemed it a great mercy from 
 the Lord to us, that the said bill was stopped ; for if it 
 had passed into a law, I was persuaded that the priests 
 of the persecuting sort, would have taken such strength 
 and encouragement thereby, that they would have per- 
 secuted and imprisoned a great part of our Friends 
 throughout England, &.c. 
 
 Blessed be the Lord, they were disappointed, that 
 that weapon was not formed ready to be put into their 
 hands or power to make use of. 
 
 By the poll act which was passed in the previous 
 reign, every dissenting teacher or preacher was oblig- 
 ed to pav a tax of twenty shillings quarterly ; and as 
 those were not exempted from payment who received 
 no remuneration for preaching, the tax fell of course 
 upon the ministers of Friends, and distraints it appears 
 were made in several instances to recover it. VV^hen 
 this act, on its expiration in 1695, was about to be re- 
 newed, George Whitehead and Thomas Lower ap- 
 plied to several influential members of parliament, and 
 succeeded in convincing them that it was inconsistent 
 with the tenor of the act, that persons who had no gain 
 from preachng should pay a tax of four pounds a year ;
 
 136 BIEMOIRS OF 
 
 and a clause was accordingly introduced into the new 
 bill, which cllectually relieved the case of Friends. 
 
 In the year 1G97-8, the Czar of Muscovy being in 
 England, it was agreed that some Friends should wait 
 upon him ; and George Whitehead prepared an address 
 which contains bold but salutary counsel, shortly stat- 
 ing the character of the Society, and concluding with 
 the following exhortation, to rule with mercy and to 
 give liberty of conscience to his subjects. 
 
 " O Czar ! the Great God requireth of thee, to do 
 justly, love mercy, and walk humbly before Him, who 
 is a God of knowledge, and by whom actions are weigh- 
 ed, and who is the righteous Judge of all. 
 
 " We pray thee observe the good resolution of that 
 great king Artaxerxes, when he was made lord over 
 many nations; he would not exalt himself by reason of 
 his power, but purposed with equity always and gen- 
 tleness to govern his subjects, and wholly to set them 
 into a peaceable life, and thereby to bring his kingdom 
 into tranquillity, &c. 
 
 " And know, that it is by mercy and truth that the 
 thrones of kings are established ; and that thereby thou 
 mayest obtain mercy and favour with the Most High 
 God, and gain the real love and affections of thy sub- 
 jects. O ! be tender and merciful to them all, as they 
 are all thy fellow creatures, created by one God: O I 
 break off (by sins by righteousness, and showing mercy 
 to the poor. 
 
 " And let the example of our renowned king Wil- 
 liam, influence thee to the like moderation and cle- 
 mency, throughout all thy dominions; which he hath 
 showed in granting free liberty of conscience, in the 
 peaceable exercise of religion and worship towards 
 Almighty God, as they may be persuaded by Him 
 who is the Sovereign Lord over the consciences of men. 
 
 " From thy real well wishers and friends to thy im- 
 mortal soul, who desire thy everlasting happiness." 
 
 The paper was signed by five Friends, and among 
 the rest by William Fenn ; and it appears that they
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 137 
 
 waited upon the Czar at Deptford, where he resided ; 
 but he decHned to see them on the professed ground of 
 being unwell. However, one of the principal persons 
 in his suite, who treated the deputation in a friendly 
 manner, promised to deliver the paper to his master. 
 
 The days of severe persecution had now drawn to a 
 close, and there can be no doubt that a great improve- 
 ment had taken place in the general feeling of all par- 
 ties in regard to mutual toleration. The race of blind 
 zealots was not however extinct. " There were some 
 priests," says the narrative, " in the county of Norfolk, 
 who appeared very invidious against us, and our liberty 
 of religious exercise, being instigated by our old apos- 
 tate adversary, Francis Bugg ; and having what assist- 
 ance he could afford them, they must needs have a 
 public meeting with some of our Friends at West Deer- 
 ham, in their parish church, so called, where some of 
 our Friends of London and of the country met them, at 
 the time appointed ; and though the priest had gotten 
 many of our Friends' books together, and endeavoured 
 to render them obnoxious, yet they gained no advan- 
 tage, but were disappointed of their evil designs ; which 
 were for some pretence to incense the people and the 
 government to raise a new persecution against us, as 
 hereafter is made more obvious. I had intended to have 
 gone that journey into Norfolk, to have met them ; but 
 was in the interim prevented by a sudden indisposition, 
 which remained for some days, till the Lord was pleas- 
 ed to recover me. 
 
 " However, the said Norfolk priests, in pursuit of 
 their invidious designs and attempts, published two ca- . 
 lumnious books, entitled 
 
 " L 'A Brief Discovery,' &c. 
 
 " n. ' Some few of the Quakers' many horrid Blas- 
 phemies,' &c. ; which they delivered to the parliament. 
 The priests chiefly concerned against us in the said 
 books, that they might appear men of note and learn- 
 ing, gave their names and distinctions in the title page 
 of their said *' Brief Discovery." 
 
 M 2
 
 138 MEMOIRS OP 
 
 " These priests thought to do great matters against 
 us, by most falsely and maliciously rendering our prin- 
 ciples blasphemous and seditious, &-c. ; wherein they 
 were sufficiently detected and refuted, in two books 
 which I wrote, in direct and full answer to them and 
 their most bitter and unjust charges against us and our 
 principles. 
 
 " One of my answers to them is entitled, ' Truth and 
 Innocency vindicated, and the People called Quakers 
 defended in Principle and Practice, against invidious 
 attempts and calumnies, &c.' printed 1699, and deliver- 
 ed to members of parliament. 
 
 " The other answer 1 put forth, is entitled ' Truth 
 prevalent, and the Quakers discharged from the Nor- 
 folk rectors' furious charge, &c.' which though it be 
 large, several of them weic delivered to members of 
 parliament.* 
 
 " Yet the implacable enmity of the said priests, and 
 their assisting agent F. Bugg, and others, was such, 
 that their persecuting us with gross aspersions and ca- 
 lumnies in print, would not appease their wrath ; but 
 they got an invidious petition framed against us, which 
 they intended to present to the house of commons; in 
 order to which, the two knights of the shire were in- 
 trusted to move the said petition in the house. Two 
 priests attending and soliciting for some time, to have 
 their petition moved and promoted in the house, but 
 were disappointed therein, and their persecuting pur- 
 poses justly frustrated. 
 
 " For having obtained a copy of their petition, I 
 showed it to divers leading members of parliament ; 
 and how greatly the design thereof tended to raise a 
 new persecution, and to make void the toleration and 
 liberty of conscience, granted and legally settled by the 
 
 * The work consists of one hundred and eighty-seven closely 
 printed small 4to pages. It forms an epitome of the charges against 
 the Quakers, and an abJc dejj^oce of their civil and religious prin- 
 ciples.
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 139 
 
 government. They were made sensible thereof; and 
 resolved to oppose the said petition, and to throw it out 
 with contempt, if it came to be moved in the house ; 
 asking mc, " In whose hands it was?" I told them, " In 
 the hands of the two Norfolk knights ;" with whom I 
 divers times discoursed about it, to show them the na- 
 ture and tendency of the petition, and how greatly we 
 were misrepresented in it. They understanding that 
 many eminent members in the house were set against 
 it, were in a strait, and intimated thus much to me, 
 " that the clergy and some of the gentry of their own 
 county of Norfolk, were earnest with them to present 
 the said petition ; but perceiving it would be rejected 
 and thrown out, it brought them under that strait, that 
 they must cither displease those of their own county 
 who chose them, or the house of commons." I told 
 them : " It was an unthankful oflice that was put upon 
 them :" they confessed it was. However, I said, " We 
 did not solicit them to prevent their presenting or mov- 
 ing the said petition in the house ; but if they were dis- 
 posed to present it, we desired that justice of them, to 
 give us some previous notice of the time when they in- 
 tended to move it, that we might attend in readiness to 
 answer for ourselves." This was fairly granted by 
 them ; however, upon their deliberate consideration, 
 the petition was prudently dropt." 
 
 A similar attempt was made by the corporation of 
 Bury in Sulfolk, but their representatives in parlia- 
 ment wisely declined presenting the petition of their 
 constituents to the house. 
 
 This petition with the light of a hundred years' ex- 
 perience upon its jealousiefi, sets the folly of the perse- 
 cuting spirit in so striking and almost ludicrous a point 
 of view, that I shall pay it the respect of insertion in 
 this place. 
 
 " To the Honourable the Commons of England, in 
 parliament assembled. 
 
 " The humble petition of the aldermen, assistant jus-
 
 140 MEMOIRS, dtC. 
 
 tice, and chief burgess, and burgesses of the common 
 council, in behalf of themselves and the other inhabi- 
 tants of the borough of Bury St. Edmonds, in Suffolk. 
 
 " Humbly showcth, 
 
 " That we considering all ancient heresies which 
 have vexed both Church and state, were never so for- 
 midable in their rise and progress as are the Quakers ; 
 we have too just a cause of dreading the subversion of 
 our government by them if not carefully prevented and 
 suppressed, being in their clandestine constitutions op- 
 posite to the condition of our established policy, and in 
 their principles of faith antichristian ; of government, 
 antimonarchial ; in points of doctrine, antiscriptural ; 
 and in practices, illegal ; having their weekly, month- 
 ly, quarterly, and yearly meetings, which we cannot 
 but reasonably believe, tend not only to the subversion 
 of our laws, but of our religion also, to us of greater 
 concern than our lives. 
 
 " We therefore, obliged in duty to God and our coun- 
 try, do humbly pray your timely consideration of our 
 jealousies, and to rcmuve our fears, if not by totally sup- 
 pressing, yet at least by preventing their after growth 
 and encrease amongst lis ; that our posterity may un- 
 troubled live, by this early care of our laws and liber- 
 ties, and we enjoy the wished for happinessof a peace- 
 ful life." 
 
 At this period George Whitehead brings his memoirs 
 to a close, and with the triumph of a Christian vete- 
 ran, thus reviews the engagements of his past life.
 
 ( 141 ) 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 Manifold exercises, trials, and tribulations, hath the 
 Lord my God supported me under, and carried me 
 through, in my pilgrimage for his name and Truth's 
 sake, more than could possibly be related in this his- 
 tory; having spent a long time, even the greatest part 
 of my life from my youth upward, in the testimony, 
 service, and vindication of the living, unchangeable 
 Truth, as it is in Christ Jesus my Lord ; for whom I 
 have suffered many things, both in body and spirit, as 
 also by reproaches and calumnies, and sincerely labour- 
 ed in his love, who has supported me, and hitherto 
 helped me in the Gospel of the Grace of God, and of his 
 dear Son Jesus Christ, even the Gospel of life, salva- 
 tion, and peace, to them who truly believe. And yet 1 
 esteem not all my sufTerings and afflictions worthy to 
 be compared to the glory set before me; for all which 
 I must ascribe blessing, honour, glory, power, and do- 
 minion to the Lord God and the Lamb upon his throne, 
 for ever and ever ! 
 
 And when by the grace and assistance of my Hea- 
 venly Father, I have finished the work He hath given 
 me to do ; I firmly believe and livingly hope in the 
 Lord, I shall die in the Lord Jesus Christ, and ever live 
 with and rest in Him in his heavenly kingdom. 
 
 O my soul ! enter thou into thy rest, even thy eter- 
 nal rest from thy manifold labours, travails, and suffer- 
 ings: for the Lord thy God hath dealt bountifully with 
 thee; glory to his excellent Name for evermore! 
 
 G. W. 
 
 Concluded, London, the 18th of 
 the 6th Month, 1711.
 
 ( 142 ) 
 
 SECTION XIX. 
 
 Brief notice of George Whitehead's further services.* 
 
 When George Whitehead wrote the preceding con- 
 clusion to the account of his " Christian Progress," it 
 is highly probable that he found his bodily strength di- 
 minished ; and that he anticipated a speedy dismissal 
 from works to rewards. It is not easy to imagine a 
 state of human existence more desirable than that in 
 which this Christian labourer appears to have been at 
 the date of the preceding paragraph. In his seventy- 
 fifth year, looking with peaceful retrospect on a life 
 conscientiously devoted to what he believed to be the 
 will of his Creator, and the service of his fellow crea- 
 tures ; and forward with humble but certain hope to 
 that glory, in comparison of which all the sufferings he 
 had endured for Christ's sake were not worthy to be 
 named. He was destined, however, to remain for 
 twelve years more in this state of being, and was ena- 
 bled to employ even the last remains of his bodily 
 strength, in his accustomed religious and civil services. 
 Many of those who had been his contemporaries in the 
 early labours of the Society had been removed from 
 their labours; and there were no doubt many occasions 
 occurring, in which the advice and counsel of so expe- 
 rienced a veteran as George Whitehead, would be of 
 essential service to the cause he was so anxious to pro- 
 mote ; and the subject of liberty of conscience appears 
 to have continued deeply to interest him. 
 
 George W hitehead has not noticed in his memoirs 
 the death of king William, or the accession of queen 
 
 * To the original work of George Whitehead, a Supplement 
 was appended by the Editor, from which 1 have taken most of 
 the particulars mentioned in this notice of the last twelve years of 
 his life.
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 143 
 
 Anne. The former circumstance could not but be one 
 of the most mournful kind, to all the enemies of religi- 
 ous persecution ; and to none more than to the Qua- 
 kers. It is quite evident from the circumstances just 
 mentioned, that in his liberal and enlightened vi6vvs, he 
 far outrun the age in which he lived, and the people 
 over whom he ruled. William and Mary may be said 
 to have planted the tree of religious liberty in England ; 
 in their reign was the first act of parliament made 
 ''■for the case of scrupulous consciences ;" and the debt 
 of gratitude due to William, as the instrument under 
 Divine Providence of the ease which they enjoyed, was, 
 there is good reason to believe, deeply fell by the So- 
 ciety of Friends. 
 
 On his safe return from Holland in the year 1701, 
 and on the settlement of the crown of England in the 
 protestant line, the Society thought it right to address 
 him with their grateful acknowledgments and congra- 
 tulations. Well might they say : " We, thy dutiful 
 subjects, sincerely express our joy for thy safe return 
 to thy people. We have great cause to love, honour, 
 and pray for thee, as a prince whom we believe God 
 hath promoted and principled for the good ends of go- 
 vernment ; under whose reign we enjoy great mercies 
 and favours, and particularly that of liberty to tender 
 consciences in religious worship." Nor would it be 
 with less sincerity, that in the following year, 1702, on 
 presenting an address to the queen on her accession to 
 the throne, they said : " We cannot but be sorrowfully 
 affected with a deep sense of the loss sustained by the 
 death of our late king William the III. whom God 
 made the instrument of much good to these nations ; a 
 prince who indeed desired to be the common father of 
 his people^ and, as such, did by his great example as 
 well as precept, endeavour to unite them in interest 
 and atFection, and promoted and confirmed a legal li- 
 berty to tender consciences ; by all which, his reign 
 was adorned to the renown of his memory." 
 
 George Whitehead, in company with some other
 
 144 MEMOIRS OF 
 
 Friends, appears to have presented both these ad- 
 dresses. 
 
 I do not find any record of his proceedings during the 
 few years of queen Anne"'s reign, which followed the 
 close of his own narrative, except in a work published 
 in conjunction with William Mead in the year 1712, 
 under the title of " The people called Quakers truly 
 represented, and vindicated from some mistakes in the 
 representation of the Lower IIoush of Convocation:" 
 to which was added, a reply lo a persecuting pamphlet 
 against the Quakers and the toleration. This work 
 will be found in the Appendix. It is evident from it 
 that the spirit of persecution was far from extinguish- 
 ed. A bigottcd zeal for the hierarchy, and a corres- 
 ponding aversion to all dissenters, manifested itself in 
 various ways, and especially in the law againfil occa- 
 sional conformilij, and that against the growth of schism. 
 The latter act was designed to prevent dissenters from 
 keeping schools, and virtually to take out of the pa- 
 rents' hands their natural right in the care and educa- 
 tion of their own children. The Society of Friends pre- 
 sented a strong but respectful remonstrance against it, 
 and it met with great opposition in both houses of par- 
 liament. It was nevertheless carried and received the 
 royal assent, but on the very day on which this act was 
 to have become the law of England, Anne, the last of 
 the Stuart dynasty, cxpiied. A c ha r.ge of measures 
 immediately took place under the mild reign of George 
 1.; and on his accession to the throne in the year 1714, 
 George Whitehead presented to him, in company with 
 a number of other Friends, a congratulatory address; 
 which having been read, he addressed the king to the 
 following elFect. 
 
 " Thou art welcome to us, king George. We heart- 
 ily wish thee health and happiness, and thy son the 
 prince also. King W^illiam the Third was an happy 
 instrument in putting a stop to persecution, by promo- 
 ting toleration ; v^hich being intended for uniting the 
 king's protcstant subjects in interest and ullection, it
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 145 
 
 hath so far that effect as to make them more kind to 
 one another, even among the different persuasions, than 
 they were when persecution was on foot. We desire 
 the king may have further knowledge of us and our 
 innocency ; and that to Uve a peaceable and quiet life, 
 in all godliness and honesty, is according to our prin- 
 ciple and practice. " 
 
 Having a desire to see the prince of Wales, and in- 
 timating it to a nobleman who was gentleman to the 
 prince's bed chamber, he was introduced with several 
 of his friends into a chamber where the prince met 
 them ; and George Whitehead addressed him as fol- 
 lows : 
 
 "We take it as a favour that we are thus admitted 
 to see the prince of Wales, and are truly very glad to 
 see thee. Having delivered our address to the king thy 
 royal father, and being desirous to give thyself a visit 
 in true love, we very heartily wish health and happi- 
 ness to you both ; and that if it should please God thou 
 shouldst survive thy father and come to the throne, thou 
 mayst enjoy tranquillity and peace, &c. 
 
 " I am persuaded, that if the king thy father and thy- 
 self do stand for toleration, for liberty of conscience to 
 be kept inviolable, God will stand by you. 
 
 " May king Solomon's choice of wisdom be thy choice, 
 with holy Job's integrity and compassion to the oppress- 
 ed ; and the state of the righteous ruler commended by 
 king David, viz., ' He that ruleth over men must be 
 just, ruling in the fear of God; and he shall be as the 
 light of the morning when the sun riseth, even a morn- 
 ing without clouds ; as the tender grass springing out 
 of the earth by clear shining after rain.'" 
 
 It is said that the good old man's address was well re- 
 ceived by the prince. 
 
 In the year 1715, on occasion of the rebellion, George 
 Whitehead and one of his friends obtained admission to 
 the king, and presented to him a paper; a copy of 
 which was found am.ong his manuscripts after his de- 
 cease. 
 
 VOL. II. w
 
 146 MEJIOIRS OP 
 
 " A few words in true love to king George, humbly 
 presented. 
 
 "Seeing our most gracious God liath been pleased, 
 by his Overruling power and providence, to give thee a 
 free and peaceable accession to the tbrone of these 
 kingdoms ; O lot thy trust and confidence be in the same 
 Divine Power, and thy eye to that Light and Grace 
 thereby given thee, and the Lord will no doubt con- 
 found tl)y foes, and disperse and expel that dark cloud 
 and spirit of rebellion that is risen up against thee and 
 thy lawful government, constituted for the defence and 
 support of our just liberties and properties, religious and 
 civil, against popery and slavery. 
 
 " Thy Christian principle for liberty to tender con- 
 sciences being maintained and stood by, against perse- 
 cution the pillar of popery, the Lord will stand by and 
 defend thee and thy royal oifspring ; for surely, ' mercy 
 and truth do preserve (he king, and his throne is uphol- 
 den by mercy.' Remember what the Spirit of the Lord 
 spake by king David in his last words : ' He that ruleth 
 overmen must be just, ruling in the fear of God; and 
 he shall be as the light of the morning, even a morning 
 without clouds,' &c. 
 
 " The J^ord the God of hosts be thy defence, thy 
 Guide, and Counsellor, and replenish thy heart with 
 his wisdom, whereby kings reign and jirinces decree 
 justice ; for in (hat wisdom true dominion stands. 
 
 "'J'hat thou.O lung, mayst be a blessing in the hand 
 of the Lord to these nations, and enjoy a safe, a peace- 
 able, and prosperous reign in this life, and a crown of 
 righteousness in Ihat to come, is the hearty prayer of 
 an ancient servant of Jesus Christ, and 
 
 " A truly loving and faithful subject, 
 
 "George Whitehead.** 
 
 " London, tlio 2r,th of the «th 
 nionll), called October, 1715." 
 
 In the following year, at the age of eighty, he again 
 wailed on the king with a deputation from the Society
 
 G. WHITEHEAD. 147 
 
 to present to him a congratulatory address on the sup- 
 pression of the rebellion. He introduced the address to 
 the king, by a speech which proved that he still preserv- 
 ed his faculties and his loyalty. It was to the following 
 effect. 
 
 " That in their annual assembly, held for the religious 
 concerns of their Society, endeavouring to promote and 
 put in practice the duties of religion professed by them, 
 the sense of the great deliverance had such a weight 
 upon their minds, that they were willing to express it in 
 an address to king George, wdiom God by his providence 
 had brought hither and preserved, so that he could 
 well say, he was George by the grace of God, king of 
 Great Britian, &c. And that as men carried that say- 
 ing stamped on the money in their pockets, so it was to 
 be wished it might be imprinted in the hearts of the 
 subjects." 
 
 Though George Whitehead had now become very 
 feeble in body, yet he continued to attend the meetings 
 of his friends both for religious worship and for disci- 
 pline ; bearing his testimony " to the virtue and excel- 
 lency of that Divine Grace, which had supported him 
 from his youth upward ; imparting in most sensible ex- 
 pressions such choice fruits of his own experiences, that 
 an attentive hearer could not depart unedified. And 
 even in meetings about Church atfairs, where some- 
 times diversity of sentiments may arise, he would ex- 
 press his thoughts with a convincing force and solidity 
 of reasoning, no less admirable than the unspotted in- 
 tegrity of his grey hairs was honourable." 
 
 When in his eighty-sixth year he wrote a lively ad- 
 dress to his friends, which was printed and circulated 
 amongst them. He died in great peace in the year 
 1722-3, at the age of eighty-seven.* 
 
 * For the account of his close, see " Introduction," p. 29, of 
 vol. I.
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 I. A Christian Epistle to Friends in General. 
 
 II. The people called Quakers truly represent- 
 ed, AND vindicated FROM SOME MISTAKES IN THE LOW- 
 ER HOUSE OP CONVOCATION, &C. (fec. 
 
 III. The Christian Doctrine and Society of thh 
 People called Quakers, &,c. &c. 
 
 s 2
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 A CHRISTIAN EPISTLE TO FRIENDS IN GENERAL. 
 
 Dated the 2Zth of Ith mo. 1689. 
 
 Dear and tenderly beloved Friends and called of 
 God, every where ; 
 
 In a real and deep sense of my Heavenly Father's 
 love and tender mercy, revealed through his most dear 
 Son, our ever blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 
 which 1 am, with many more, livingly made a partaker 
 of, doth my life and spirit very dearly and tenderly 
 salute you, as truly and most heartily wishing and pray- 
 ing, that divine grace, mercy, and peace, with all spi- 
 ritual blessings and divine favours in Christ Jesus may 
 be encreased and multiplied among you and unto you, 
 to your great consolation, peace, and prosperity in the 
 love of God. 
 
 Dear Friends, finding for some time of late a living 
 and holy constraint and pressure of spirit, to communi- 
 cate some things of weight and concern unto you re- 
 specting your safety, peace, and prosperity in the bless- 
 ed unchangeable Truth, I am opened and encouraged 
 by the precious Life and Spirit of our God, to be clear 
 and free therein towards you all, and that in discharge 
 of my tender conscience, in the sight and presence of 
 the God of my life, whom I serve with my spirit in the 
 Gospel of his dear Son, as I have sincerely done from 
 my youth upward : blessed be his pure name for ever ! 
 
 And having had these many years' experience in the
 
 152 APPENDIX. 
 
 weighty service of the Lord our Cod, (brough manifold 
 exercises, hiirdens, spiritual travails, and oppositions, I 
 may not' hide my talent, nor conceal those things my 
 Lord and Master requires me to divulge for the safety 
 and good of his people, in their several conditions, 
 states, and attainments, as having long and truly seen 
 the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, and 
 the good and blessed estate of his chosen and faithful 
 ones ; for which I praise the name of the Lord my Re- 
 deemer, in whom 1 have believed through his divine 
 goodness, never to be foigotten by any of us ; as also 
 being not ignorant of or unacquainted with the many 
 wiles, various workings, and depths of Satan, the great 
 adversary of man's felicity and of the peace of God's 
 people, who worketh upon the divers inclinations, mu- 
 table affections, wills, weaknesses, and infirmities of the 
 sons of men, to deceive, pervert, deprave, and corrupt 
 them, that they may the more easily be led captive by 
 him at his will, in their following their own unsubjccted 
 wills and spirits. 
 
 You therefore, my dear Friends, who have livingly 
 felt and tasted of the Lord's power and goodness, and 
 known his work in your hearts, in order to your deliver- 
 ance and redemption out of the evil world and the cor- 
 ruptions thereof, prize his tender mercies and goodness, 
 and forget them not. Let the holy fear of the Lord 
 God be your treasure, and true wisdom and understand- 
 ing the stability of your times in righteousness. Let 
 your sincere love to the pure name and Truth of the 
 Lord, and one unto another, be continued in that un- 
 changeable truth and power of an Endless Life, where- 
 unto the Lord hath called us ; and I pray God increase 
 your love and zeal for his glorious name, and Christian 
 tenderness, and brotherly ailcction one towards another, 
 that life forever more may be your blessing and portion ; 
 as it will be to all them who dwell in amity, true love, 
 and unity of spirit in our Lord Jesus Christ, which is a 
 most joyful, comfortable, and blessed state; which too 
 many professors of Truth are short of for want of
 
 APPENDIX. 153 
 
 keeping near to the Lord, in his holy fear, and love of 
 his blessed name and Truth ; whose negligence and un- 
 faithfulness to Truth in themselves, hath caused a decay 
 of love and want of charity towards others; and then, 
 instead of humbly waiting and depending upon the 
 Lord, some have exalted themselves in a self-will, self- 
 conceit, and affection to preeminence in judgment over 
 others, until thereby divisions and self-separations have 
 been caused and stirred up by them, to the great grief 
 of the spirits of the upright, who have kept their inte- 
 grity to the Lord, his Truth, and people. And this self- 
 exaltation, slighting, and contemning others, have been 
 and are the great evils, snares, and engines wherewith 
 the adversary catches them that never were thoroughly 
 subjected into true humility, mortification, true self- 
 denial or dying with Christ. Such, though under pro- 
 fession of Truth, may make a great show and flourish 
 for a time in outward appearance, leaves, and blossoms, 
 yet they bring not forth fruit unto perfection or ripeness 
 in Christ. Therefore beware of self-exaltation, beware 
 of an earthy spirit entering, beware of covetousness 
 which is idolatry ; let not the earth interpose betwixt 
 any of your souls, and the brightness of that divine 
 glory which has appeared even in our day and times. 
 
 Spiritual gifts may be lost or fallen short of, if the 
 Fountain of them, the Holy Spirit of Life itself, be not 
 diligently minded and followed ; and where love to- 
 wards God and his Truth decays in any, their love to- 
 wards his servants and people grows cold ; and then 
 their gifts decrease and die, as the life of them is with- 
 drawn or departed from, or that love lost which is the 
 more excellent way : " For if I want charity [or love] I 
 am nothing." What gifts, openings, discoveries, visions, 
 revelations, wisdom, knowledge, or understanding soever 
 any have, yet still it is the heavenly Root must bear 
 them, they must keep low their minds and spirits to 
 that from whence life and love springs ; or else they fall, 
 wither, die, and become empty, uncharitable, and hard- 
 hearted ; and there the enemy has his evil ends upon
 
 154 APPENDIX. 
 
 them, in betraying thcnn and corrupting their minds 
 from the Truth, from hfe, from love, Irom the innocency 
 and simplicity which is in Christ, the Way, the Truth, 
 and the Life; and there is a danger in being too early 
 and forward to censure and judge others, and in judging, 
 censuring, and undeivaluing others' gifts, ministry, and 
 labours, whom God hath called into his work and service; 
 for some tliereby may either lose their own gifts, life, 
 and strength, or fall short of those heavenly gifts which 
 otherwise they might attain to, if they kept low and 
 tender in humility, love, and society with their breth- 
 ren ; whereby they might also be serviceable with them. 
 For I have seen in my time some, who never passed 
 through judgment in themselves, yet very censorious, 
 judging, detracting, and whispering against their bre- 
 thren, slighting them, their ministry, and labours, who 
 themselves have greatly lost by it ; and God in displea- 
 sure hath suffered them to discover their own weakness 
 and nakedness, for their own abasement under the 
 righteous judgment of Truth. And it is evident that 
 from this kind of exalted, censorious, whispering, and 
 envious spirit, which worketh not for love and union, 
 have proceeded the several divisions, schisms, and se- 
 parations which have happened,, to the great trouble of 
 the Church of Christ in our days, as in the primitive 
 Christians' days. 
 
 And the several sorts of apostates and backsliders 
 from Truth, show what and what kind and manner 
 of spirit they went and go out in, by their works and 
 fruits, whether in a spirit of pride and ambition, in a 
 spirit of envy and hypocrisy, in a scornful contemning 
 spirit, in a covetous earthly spirit, in a loose profane 
 spirit, or in a drunken debauched spirit of ranterism 
 and fleshly liberty, which corne all from one evil root 
 and seed, according to the vai-ious corrupt inclinations 
 and wills of men, upon which the enemy works, and 
 appears with baits and temptations suitable thereunto, 
 that he may prevail the more. And it is certain, that 
 the envious apostates and wilful adversaries, were the
 
 APPENDIX. 155 
 
 most troublesome to the primitive Churdies of Christ 
 and his holy apostles in their day, and so in ours. 
 Therefore blessed and truly happy are they who keep 
 their habitations in the Truth and love of God, and live 
 in Christian love and charity one towards another; for 
 such walk in the light, where there is no occasion of 
 stumbling or scandal. 
 
 And as it was evidence unto the primitive Christians, 
 that they were passed from death to life because they 
 loved the brethren, and that they had purified their 
 souls through their obedience of the Holy Spirit unto 
 unfeigned love of the brethren ; even so now the same 
 evidence and testimony remains and lives in and for all 
 them that dwell in the love of God one towards an- 
 other : for all envy, prejudice, back bitings, whisper- 
 ings, tale carrying, lying, heats, passions, provocations, 
 reviHng, railing, clamours, scorn, contempt, ill language, 
 flattery, and hypocrisy are to be utterly put away, 
 avoided, judged, condemned, and for ever excluded the 
 camp of God; for they proceed from the false and de- 
 generate birth, evil seed and spirit, and not from the 
 true seed or birth ; which is innocent and hurts no 
 body by word or action, in person, name, reputation, 
 or property ; for that is tender in all these things. For 
 false reports, whisperings, back bitings, and tale carry- 
 ing cause strife and division, and are condemned by the 
 law of God and Light of Christ, and expressly forbidden 
 by God himself: " Thou shalt not be as one that carries 
 tales up and down among my people : thou shalt not 
 receive a false tale, nor raise a false report against the 
 Lord's people, nor do his prophets or servants any 
 harm." 
 
 And all who profess the Truth, or make mention of 
 the name of the Lord among us, ought to watch over 
 their own spirits, wills, and passions, and have a care of 
 hurting one another, or crushing any tender spirit or 
 plant, or stopping or quenching any spiritual gift or tes- 
 timony God has given, how little or low soever it may 
 be or seem ; for some of a tender spirit are sooner hurt
 
 156 APPENDIX. 
 
 and wounded than healed. All keep in Christian hu- 
 mility, meekness, patience, gentleness, and tender heart- 
 edness one towards another. And elders and overseers 
 in the churches of Christ must be examples of believers, 
 hoth in humility, meekness, patience, and condescension, 
 as Christian patterns; and not self-willed, nor soon 
 angry, nor given to passion, striving, heats, or conten- 
 tion.' Such Christian example and behaviour in the 
 house and church of the living God, tend greatly to keep 
 out and prevent contentions and contentious spirits, and 
 to the comfort and encouragement of the upright heart- 
 ed, who arc willing to serve the Lord, his Truth, and 
 people. 
 
 My dear Friends ! the l^ord our God has heen good 
 to us ; a tender Father through all our trials, sufferings, 
 and exercises, in upholding us by his free Spirit, ac- 
 companying us with his presence, comforting us in our 
 afflictions with his renewed mercies and multiplied fa- 
 vours, in preserving us a living people to his praise until 
 this day, and afFording us this present liberty we have 
 of late enjoyed, and do partake of the benefit and ad- 
 vantage thereof, in our public, peaceable and religious 
 assemblies for the exaltation of the glorious name, holy 
 Truth, and divine power of the Lord our God. Where- 
 fore we have great cause to prize his tender mercies 
 and goodness to us, and walk humbly under the sense 
 thereof, that a right use and improvement may be 
 made of all the mercies and privileges wc do enjoy, and 
 such a good use of the present liberty, as that none 
 grow careless or negligent, indifferent or lukewarm, 
 because thereof, nor any sit down at ease in the flesh 
 or in the earth, and therein promise themselves security 
 from further sulferings or trials, because of the late and 
 present enjoyment of liberty and ease from persecution. 
 This is no good use of the present mercy, nor safe con- 
 clusion ; for God has many ways to try his people ; and 
 national calamities and distresses, whereof his own peo- 
 ple sometimes partake, are not at an end, nor the judg- 
 ments incurred by iniquity turned away, because of the
 
 APPENDIX. 157 
 
 continued provocations, wickedness, rebellions against 
 God, their abominations, pride, hypocrisies, deceits, 
 falseliood, and presumption, abounding in this and other 
 professing nations against the great and righteous God, 
 the Judge of all, who is so long sparing and forbearing 
 as He is to this nation, merely for his small remnant 
 and seed's sake, which is already gathered and to be 
 gathered. 
 
 Yet the great God will distress nations, and cause 
 the earth to tremble before Him, and overturnings and 
 desolations in the earth before calamities are ended, o" 
 Christ's peaceable kingdom be set up more generally in 
 the earth, or where as yet it is opposed and resisted ; 
 for the cause why wars, desolations, and the devouring 
 sword are already in great judgment entered so many 
 nations and countries, is because of the crying sins, 
 great provocations, persecutions, and cruelties in the 
 dark places of the earth. 
 
 And, dear Friends, brethren and sisters, whom I 
 truly love in the Lord, who retain your integrity and 
 love in the blessed, unchangeable Truth, you cannot 
 be insensible how (hat the Lord's harvest is great, 
 and what need of faithful labourers there now is; an 
 effectual door being open in this time of liberty, the 
 Lord in mercy has granted for the good of many poor 
 souls, that they may come and receive the Truth in the 
 love of it; and that they who have been or are of a 
 fearful heart, may receive strength and know the Lord 
 to be their Saviour and Redeemer, in this his evan- 
 gelical day, and free and blesssed opportunity He has 
 afforded. And yet, though this harvest be great, the 
 diligent and faithful labourers are but few now raised 
 up, in comparison of the greatness of the harvest and 
 necessity of the work ; many of our ancient brethren 
 and faithful fellow labourers and helpers in Christ being 
 taken away, and gone to their everlasting rest, having 
 faithfully served out their day and generation, fulfilled 
 and finished their testimony with joy and peace, and 
 obtained a crown of glory that shall never fade away. 
 
 VOL. II. o
 
 158 APPENDIX. 
 
 And this very matter has been often seriously upon 
 my thoughts and weighty considerations, what should 
 be the cause or reason why so few faithful labourers and 
 clear Gospel ministers, have been of late raised up or 
 are now brought forth ; though some have a good hve- 
 ly testimony, blessed be the Lord ! And it clearly ap- 
 pears to me, first, that few are given up in their spirits 
 for this weighty service, as we were in the beginning, 
 who arc in some measure gifted and qualified. 
 
 Secondly, few sincerely seek the Lord, or have wait- 
 ed upon Him with fervent desires, prayer, and sup- 
 plication, that they may be gifted, indued, and qualified 
 with power, wisdom, faith, patience, &c. for the work 
 of the ministry of Christ Jesus ; whereas, if any man 
 want wisdom he should ask it of God ; and he shall not 
 miss of a gracious answer to the desire of his soul, who 
 sincerely asks, seeks, and knocks at "Wisdom's gate : 
 " Whatsoever ye ask in my name," saith Christ, " be- 
 lieve that ye shall receive it, and it shall be given you." 
 You know Solomon's request to the Lord for an under- 
 standing heart to discern judgment, his choice of wis- 
 dom rather than riches or long life, how it pleased 
 God. i Kings iii. 10. 
 
 Thirdly, very few have their minds and spirits really 
 and inwardly exercised in frequent prayer and daily 
 supplication to God, or in heavenly meditation, or spi- 
 ritual contemplation in God's pure and spiritual laws, 
 ways, judgments, and works, or in Holy Scriptures by 
 the Holy Spirit which opens them ; but too many have 
 their minds, hearts, and aflections taken up with these 
 fading objects and things below, minding earthly things, 
 being overcharged with the love of riches, cares, and 
 cumbers of this life, to compass the earth, wherein 
 many a good talent has been hid, and poor soul buried 
 in captivity. Whereas i< requires an inward and seri- 
 ous exercise of spirit toward God, frequent and fervent 
 prayer and supplication^ unto Him, an inward and dili- 
 gent attention upon Him, who is the giver of every 
 good and perfect gift, to obtain both Divine wisdom and
 
 APPENDIX. 159 
 
 a weighty, living, clear, evangelical ministry. For the 
 sanctified hearts and souls who truly fear God, are 
 those into whom only wisdom entereth, and maketh 
 them friends of God, and prophets. The Lord will 
 have an inward, spiritual, sincere, and zealous people. 
 Oh ! inward watclifulness, prayer, and supplication to 
 Almighty God have been and are too much neglected 
 by many ; 1 pray God they may seriously examine, 
 and find out the causes in themselves with the Light 
 of Christ Jesus, and bring all to the righteous judgment 
 thereof. 
 
 Fourthly, if any of the younger sort, who are in some 
 measure imbued with spiritual gifts and knowledge, 
 do let up a slight and disesteem in their minds of their 
 elder brethren, who are experienced in the work and 
 service of God, and keep not in society or union with 
 them in the spirit of love and of a sound mind, but give 
 way unto a singularity, abounding in their own sense, 
 not keeping low and humble before the Lord, nor little 
 in their own eyes ; such neither grow in life, nor in 
 Divine openings, nor increase in their gifts, nor come 
 to attain to a weighty, clear, evangelical ministry and 
 service; but rather lose, die, and wither, unless they 
 come into true humility, self-denial, reconciliation, love, 
 and union with their elder faithful brethren ; who, in 
 the love of God, would tenderly help them, and not 
 hinder them in the work and service of the Lord our 
 God. 
 
 It is both a great grief and scandal also, to see many 
 of the younger sort who frequent our meetings, and even 
 of Friends' children also, degenerating into pride, and 
 height of spirit and apparel, so nearly to imitate and 
 border upon the world as too many do, contrary to the 
 gravity, modesty, sobriety, plainness, simplicity, inno- 
 cency, and humility, which Truth requires, in example 
 as well as in spirit, and which Truth at first led many 
 into ; and as still it doth lead and order them that truly 
 love and obey it : in which I pray God to settle and 
 order his people, and that no plea nor excuse may be
 
 160 APPENDIX. 
 
 m.ade to maintain pride, vanity, or innmodcsty in ap- 
 parel, which only gratifies vain airy minds and spirits, 
 and the lust of the carnal eye, and grieves the tender, 
 and gives occasion of reproach and stumbling to them 
 that are without, and to such as are soberly and reli- 
 giously inclined. O ! it is precious to keep low and 
 humble before the Lord, and to walk as living exam- 
 ples of Christian humility; a lowly mind is content 
 with low things, and loves plainness. 
 
 And this is observable, that if never so much be tru- 
 ly and sincerely preached in public against pride and 
 vanity in apparel, &c. if it be indulged or connived at 
 home in children or young persons, by parents, guar- 
 dians, or overseers, all preaching, instruction, and warn- 
 ing proves to them but as water spilt upon the ground, 
 and makes no impression ; whilst through such encour- 
 agement and indulgence at home, they embrace a 
 spirit of pride and irreverence towards God, and dis- 
 regard to his truth and people ; and though some 
 formality and something of the form of Truth, they 
 may have by outward education, it is not by the work 
 of regeneration ; for there are but few in comparison 
 that really come in at that door ; and therefore 1 have 
 had often a godly fear upon me of the springing up of 
 degenerate plants amongst us, and a degenerate gene- 
 ration to the dishonour of Truth and our holy profes- 
 sion, after our days. 
 
 And it is they who arc inclining and getting into the 
 spirit of the world, and liberty out of the Truth, who 
 live not in humility nor in the fear of God, that give 
 secret strength to an apostate turbulent spirit, wliich 
 has been the Church's exercise of late years, and that 
 are most easily catchcd with that apostate spirit, and 
 feigned words of the instruments thereof, wliose work 
 is to sow discord, and make divisions, schisms, and se- 
 parations, which are fruits of the flesh; for if all had 
 been faithful to the Light, and kept in humility and love 
 of Truth and one another, there had been no enmity 
 one towards another, nor snuting of fellow servants ;
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 161 
 
 but the fear of God would have preserved them out 
 of those snares of death, which that spirit of discord 
 leads into. 
 
 Howbeit, I am well satisfied in the Lord, that He 
 will never suffer a general or final apostacy or degene- 
 ration ; the brightness of our day, and glory of our Sun 
 of righteousness shall never be extinguished ; although 
 too many, through the adversary's subtilty and temp- 
 tations, together with their own carnal and corrupt in- 
 clinations, are apt to degenerate, and their minds to be 
 exalted and alienated from the fear of God, from the 
 cross of Christ, from humility and lowliness of mind, 
 from true and conscientious tenderness, from love to the 
 brethren, from innocency, plainness, and simplicity that 
 is in Christ, both in their spirits, language, and habits, 
 who therefore ought to be faithfully admonished and 
 tenderly instructed ; by which means, together with a 
 meek and gentle behaviour, many have been gained 
 and many may yet be recovered out of the snares of 
 satan, who have been taken captive at unawares; 
 " having compassion of some, making a difference," has 
 often reached the tender part in them: and in relation 
 to others more deeply prejudiced, I remember a cau- 
 tious saying of an ancient and faithful brother deceased, 
 viz. " VVhere we cannot make them better, we must 
 take heed we do not make them worse." The Lord 
 keep his people in his holy fear, watchful and humble 
 before Him, in true love and tender heartedness ; that 
 they may receive wisdom from Him to behave them- 
 selves, and to minister suitably to all conditions. 
 
 And all dear and tenderly beloved Friends, with all 
 who are effectually convinced of God's holy Truth and 
 name, and do profess the same ; in the holy fear of God, 
 in his Light watch and pray constantly, without faint- 
 ing, against your soul's subtil adversary, in all his 
 attempts to beget into self-exaltation and prejudice, to 
 smite fellow servants and cause divisions or olfences ; 
 for that is the enemy's work. 
 
 And, Friends, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus 
 
 o 2
 
 162 APPENDIX. 
 
 Christ with respect of persons ; this was ancient and 
 Christian counsel. So let not the rich and high con- 
 temn the low and mean ; let not uncertain riches puff 
 up any, or exalt them above their brethren ; nor any 
 brother of high degree in earthly enjoyments, slight or 
 contemn their brethren of low degree. Some sincere 
 hearted and serviceable Friends and brethren have en- 
 joyed plenty of the world's goods, and yet through 
 losses, sufFerings, disappointments, or others' unjust 
 dealings by them, are brought low in the world ; and 
 who were esteemed when in prosperity. It would be 
 very unchristian and sinful to slight or disesteem them 
 in their adversity, which is their trial. The poor of 
 this world who are rich in faith, whom God hath chosen, 
 are near unto Him; their faith is the more tried by 
 their poverty and lowness, and how soon that may be 
 the trial of many that are rich, they know not ; there- 
 fore it is very unsafe for any to trust in uncertain rich- 
 es, or to be exalted or lifted up because of them ; they 
 should rather humbly depend upon the living God, and 
 trust in Him, and love and esteem their brethren in 
 Truth, how mean and low soever in this world, know- 
 ing that with (Jod there is no respect of persons, nor 
 with them who truly bear his image. 
 
 And pray, Friends, keep out all disputes and con- 
 troversies, which some busy spirits in the world are 
 incident unto, as about outward revolutions, govern- 
 ments, state alTiiirs, and kingdoms of this world. Let 
 not their divisions divide you, nor their strife and con- 
 tentions about the outward court and forms of religion, 
 earthly kingdoms and crowns that will fade, iriilucnce 
 any among you to contend or become paities about 
 them ; but quietly serve and wait upon God in your 
 places and stations where He hath set you, and sub- 
 missively leave all to his overruling power, wisdom, and 
 providence, to do or sulFcr things to come to pass as 
 He pleaseth ; for none may say to Him : " What dost 
 Thou?" though men may be warned as God shall re- 
 quire. And He knows what is best for his people, and
 
 APPENDIX. 163 
 
 will cause all things to work together for good to them 
 that love Him: his kingdom come more and more, his 
 blessed will be done in heaven and earth, who is Judge 
 of all, and sees all hearts, intents, and designs of men 
 throughout the whole world. And you know that 
 we cannot make flesh our arm, nor therewith fight for 
 one or another; stillness and quietness, innocency and 
 good-will towards all men according to our Christian 
 principle, is therefore the best and safest state and con- 
 dition, wherein we all may approve ourselves as the 
 Lord's hidden ones, and as of them that are quiet in 
 the land. 
 
 Be still, and know that the Lord is God, and that He 
 will be exalted in his everlasting kingdom and dominion 
 over all the kingdoms of men; neither let the world's 
 confusions confound you, nor the world's distractions 
 distract you, or any of you, nor the removing of moun- 
 tains in the earth remove you from the Lord's moun- 
 tain, nor the unstable waters or tossing waves, toss you, 
 or influence any of you, to discompose or hurry vou 
 from your peaceable habitations ; but keep in your 
 Strong Hold, your Rock, and Foundation, Christ Jesus; 
 nor let any thing divert you from minding his kingdom 
 of peace above all, which is not of this world; out of 
 which men's lusts and the ground and occasion of wars 
 and fighting are excluded ; for u) Salem is his taber- 
 nacle. 
 
 O I let all quietly wait upon the all- seeing, righteous, 
 holy God, in order to see his good end through all, and 
 his righteous determination and decision of the contro- 
 versies amongst men. And keep in innocency and 
 peaceable conversation towards all, and inoifensively 
 under and towards the civil government, giving no real 
 occasion of offence; but, as becomes true Christians, 
 walk in love and good will towards all, both high and 
 low ; for herein hath been and will be our safety and 
 confidence through all our trials, being preserved by 
 the power and goodness of the Lord our God, as his 
 peculiar people, who is our Stay, our Rock, and Re-
 
 1()4 APPENDIX. 
 
 fuge : blessed be his name for ever ! O ! forget not to 
 praise the Lord, for all his tender mercies and peculiar 
 favours and goodness in our preservation until this day ; 
 knowing also, that they who sincerely and steadfastly 
 trust in his name and power, shall be as mount Sion 
 that shall never be removed ; and that as his servant 
 David declared : " It is better to trust in the Lord, than 
 to put confidence in man : it is better to trust in the 
 Lord, than to put confidence in princes," Ps. cxviii, 8, 
 9 ; T pray Cod keep all his people in a steady depend- 
 ance upon Ilim, and confidence in Him to the end. 
 
 Finally, my tenderly beloved Friends and brethren, 
 having thus far cleared my conscience in the sight of 
 God, in the living sense of his presence and counsel in 
 these matters, as relating to several states and dangers, 
 I recommend all to the faithful and true Witness in 
 themselves, to make the particular and just applica- 
 tion, and to make every one sensible of the weight and 
 lively impressions of these and all other Christian cau- 
 tions and warnings, proceeding from thence through 
 any of the servants of Christ, for the safety and peace 
 of all the Lord's people among us; even to the least 
 and lowest of his flock, and those convinced among us, 
 who are called by his grace to the confession of his 
 holy name and Truth. 
 
 The God of peace be with you all and bless you, and 
 encrease rigliteousness, peace, love, and union among 
 his people every where, that all may be steadfast in 
 the Truth, true and faithful in their day and time, to 
 the end of their days : amen, amen. 
 
 Your faithful friend and brother in Christ, 
 
 George Whitehead* 
 
 London, tho 2fith of 
 the 7th tno. 1689..
 
 (165) 
 
 THE 
 
 PEOPLE CALLED QUAHERS 
 
 TRULY REPRESENTED 
 
 And vindicated from some Mistakes, vjhercin they are 
 
 misrepresented in the Representation of the 
 
 Lower House of Convocation.* 
 
 Printed in the year 1712. 
 
 Seeing it is not unknown that we, the said people, 
 profess faith in God the Father, and in his dear eternal 
 Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit, One God 
 
 * Perhaps the following note may he acceptible to some readers. 
 
 The Convocation of the English clergy, at least that of the pro- 
 vince of Canterburj', had in ancient times considerable power. It 
 determined the taxation to be paid by the clergy, enacted ecclesi- 
 astical canons, and was consulted by the government on important 
 matt»'rs affecting the national profession of religion. Their power 
 having been much abridged, they had been very inactive for some 
 time ; when, subsequently to the revolution in 16S8, the party most 
 opposed to the new order of things, " sedulously propagated a 
 doctrine, that the Convocation ought to be advised with upon all 
 questions affecting the church, and onght even to v/atch over its 
 interests, as the parliament did over those of the kingdom." By 
 this means the activity of the clergy, and especially of the high 
 church party was stirred up in these synods ; and as they had been 
 chiefly promoted by tliose who were most favourable to arbitrary 
 civil power and ecclesiastical domination, so their proceedings were 
 characterized by the same spirit : and it is worthy of notice, that 
 whilst fulminating against the poor Quakers, and those great prin- 
 ciples of religious liberty which now pass for incontrovertible tru- 
 isms, the Lower House distinguished itself by the most factious
 
 166 APPENDIX. 
 
 blessed for ever more ; and that we do acknowledge 
 the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to 
 be given by Divine Inspiration, according as expressed 
 in the Act of Exemption or Toleration, anno primo 
 Gulielmi ct Mariaj, which being legally provided, and 
 by us sincerely and publicly owned to authority, and 
 one condition of our present and religious liberty; we 
 think it very hard and undue measure, as well as un- 
 charitable, to be joined either with Socinians or Arians, 
 and branded with " infidelity, damnable errors," which 
 you say have been " embraced and propagated by the 
 sect of Quakers, whom, in several of their treatises, 
 catechisms, and primers, have taught the rudiments of 
 Christian faith in such a manner, as to make it seem to 
 be little more than a complicated system of deism and 
 enthusiasm ;" to which is added, " from the wicked 
 principles thus disseminated, as wicked practices have 
 followed." 
 
 Unlo all which we sincerely and humbly answer: 
 I. We know nothing, in point of Christian doctrine 
 and principle, more openly dnd apparently asserted 
 and propagated by the said people called Quakers, 
 than the Divinitv of Christ, and essential union of the 
 Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. This holy and blessed 
 Scripture Trinity we have always stood for, in -real 
 faith and practice. 
 
 n. The Divinity of our blessed Lord and Saviour 
 Jesus Christ, that He is the Eternal Word, the true 
 God, as well as truly man ; being expressly agreeable 
 to Holy Scripture testimony, viz. *that he is the Mighty 
 
 spirit, and especially by insolence towards the bishops who were 
 less bigotted, and whom wliile i)retending to assert tlic Divine right 
 of episcopacy, they laboured to deprive ot' their lawful prectninenco 
 in the Anglican synod. " In the ferment of that age," says Hal- 
 1am, "it was expedient for tho state to scatter a little dust over 
 the angry insects; the Convocation was accordingly prorogued in 
 1717, and has never again sat for any business." Const. Hist. Vol. 
 III. 
 
 * Isa. ix. 6.
 
 APPENDIX. 167 
 
 God, &c. *the Eternal Word, whereby all things were 
 made ; fwho is over all, God blessed for ever : JGod 
 created all things by. Jesus Christ; §who is the true 
 God and Eternal Life ; by whom also the worlds were 
 made ; the Divine ||three that bear record in heaven, 
 the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these 
 three are One. 
 
 The blessed Trinity in the unity of Divine Essence, 
 is manifest in the wonderful works of God, both in the 
 old and new creation, and the mystery thereof reveal- 
 ed and experienced in the new birth. 
 
 III. Thus we sincerely believe and confess the Divi- 
 nity and Deity of the Eternal Son of God, Christ Jesus, 
 with respect to his being the Eternal Word, which was 
 in the llbeginning; **before Abraham was; fffrom 
 Everlasting ; JJglorified with the Father before the 
 world began ; and in respect to the fulness of the God- 
 head (yea, all fulness) §§dwelling in Him; and as ||||all 
 power in heaven and earth is given unto Him ; and as 
 by whom also TIffGod made the worlds. 
 
 All which seriously considered, thus to assert the glo- 
 rious Divinity of the Son of God, cannot be inconsistent 
 with his Divine wisdom, love, and great condescension 
 in assuming the holy humanity, his pure and perfect 
 manhood for our sakes, even for the redemption of 
 mankind. " Without controversy, great is the mystery 
 of Godliness," saith the apostle, 1 Tim. iii. 16, "God 
 was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit," &c. 
 And surely excellent is the mystery of Christ, and the 
 true spiritual knowledge of Him, and his riches un- 
 searchable. Ephe-s. iii. 4—9. 2 Cor. v. 16. Col. i. 27. 
 
 IV. The immortality of the soul of man, and the 
 true notions and distinctions of good and evil, together 
 with the just judgments and suitable rewards, whether 
 
 * John i. + Rom. ix. 5. % Ephes. iii. 9. 
 
 } Heb. i. II 1 John v. 7. V John i. 1—4. 
 
 ** John viii. 58. ttMic. v. 2. ifj John ivii. 5. 
 
 \\ Col. i. 19. ii. 9. nil Malt xxviii. 18. T^Heb.i.2.xi. 3.
 
 168 APPENDIX. 
 
 in this or the next life, we never deemed groundless or 
 vain, as the ranters, corrupt libertines, and atheists 
 have done and do: but coListantly believe and assert 
 the righteousness of God, in justifying the righteous 
 and condemning the wicked : " For we must all appear 
 before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may 
 receive the things done in his body, according to that 
 he hath done, whether it be good or bad." 2 Cor. v. 10. 
 
 V. As to infidelity and damnable errors, &,c. charged 
 upon the Quakers ; as we are not conscious to ourselves 
 thereof, we do not find any colour of proof nor whence 
 they originally arose ; except from some persecuting 
 adversaries' bitter invectives, or pamphlets of some 
 apostates, who are gone out from us into enmity, and 
 dissembling conformists, to ingratiate themselves into 
 ffivour and credit with the Church of England, by per- 
 verting our principles and calumniating us and our 
 Christian religion and Society. And we know no cat- 
 echisms or primers owned or promoted among us, about 
 the rules of the Christian faith, but such as are agreea- 
 ble to Holy Scripture. Witness Robert Barclay's Cat- 
 echism, and the Christian testimonies and answers of 
 divers other approved authors among us, wherein the 
 forementioned doctrines and principles of the Christian 
 faith are sincerely asserted ; although we have been 
 greatly misrepresented by some of our adversaries' false 
 and fictitious catechisms, in our names, mock dialogues 
 and trials, and silly, idle romances, &c. 
 
 VI. Our embracing and confessing Christ Jesus, as 
 the true Light which enlightens mankind, and the in- 
 spiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit, under the 
 New Covenant Dispensation, has been by some ignorant 
 and anti-christian spirits, in contempt, rendered deism 
 and enthusiasm, though the same be often prayed for 
 and confessed in the liturgy of the church of England. 
 And we hope our embracing those Christian principles, 
 namely, that of the true Light, John i.. Divine Inspira- 
 tion, and being led by the Spirit of God, John xvi. 13, 
 Rom. viii. 14, will not produce any wicked practices,
 
 APPENDIX. 169 
 
 as dissolute behaviour, oaths, imprecations, growth of 
 immorality, profaneness, drunl^enness, and lewdness, 
 &c. all which are utter abominations to our religious 
 and Christian principles and Society ; and therefore 
 ought not to be imputed to us or our profession, as any 
 cause thereof. But it is rather feared, that the igno- 
 rance, libertinism, and debauchery of too many of the 
 priests in this nation, have in a great measure contri- 
 buted thereunto ; together with the former books, al- 
 lowing sports and pastimes on the Sabbath day. 
 
 VII. It is very sad and lamentable, that infidelity, 
 libertinism, and scepticism should so much abound and 
 prevail in any Church professing Christianity, as in this 
 nation where so much of religion and holiness of pro- 
 fession and conversation are pretended. But people's 
 fruits must show whose plants and what trees they are. 
 
 VIII. We believe as you say, and it is matter of 
 sorrow and grief of heart : " That one fountain from 
 whence the corruptions of religion and morality have 
 flowed, is on your theatres ; and that things sacred and 
 serious have been handled after the most ludicrous 
 manner, &c. ; and that on them obscenity, blasphe- 
 mous allusions to Holy Writ, and various sorts of pro- 
 faneness have abounded, &c. ; and that the vicious 
 images, painted to the life, have made such impressions 
 on the minds of the young and unwary as are not easy 
 to be defaced." 
 
 And the like account is given by the Upper House 
 in their representation, viz. " That this profaneness 
 hath been much increased by the licentiousness of the 
 stage, where the worst examples have been recommend- 
 ed to imitation." And further, they propose to the 
 queen, viz. " We entertain not the least doubt of your 
 majesty's firm resolution to render the laws and pro- 
 clamations, set forth for the suppression of immorality 
 and profaneness, useful to that purpose, by an impar- 
 tial and vigorous execution of them ; and to reform the 
 corruptions of the stage, which have been so instrumen- 
 
 yoL. II. p
 
 170 APPENDIX. 
 
 tal in vitiating young and innocent nninds, and given so 
 just offence to ail serious and devout Christians." 
 
 We heartily wish that what both your houses have 
 proposed in this case last mentioned, may be truly pur- 
 sued ; so as the government may be prevailed upon 
 totally to suppress, remove, and prohibit those stage 
 plays and the actors of them, seeing they are of so irre- 
 ligious and impious a tendency, and cause of ridiculing 
 true religion and debauching youth. We are persuad- 
 ed they are greatly offensive to God, and injurious to 
 many poor souls ; and we think it behoves you to en- 
 quire, if some of your priests do not resort to those play 
 houses, especially of the younger sort, as is reported ; 
 and how culpable such are if they do. And whether 
 it be not a great dishonour to your profession and func- 
 tion, for any of them to take the severest, most charge- 
 able, and ruinous courses, in prosecuting divers of our 
 Friends for small tithes, as unto imprisonments, seques- 
 trations, &c. seeing they have a more easy way to re- 
 cover them by late laws? Is not this severe course 
 rather an indication of revenge, than of Christianity or 
 humanity 1 And we think you cannot reasonably sup- 
 pose, that such unmerciful ness and oppressions will any 
 ways redound or tend to the honour of your religion, 
 church, or profession. 
 
 About restraining the press, so much pressed, there 
 had need to be a just and equal care that it be not put 
 into the power of any one party, to judge, stop, or li- 
 cense books, as they please ; for therein may be great 
 partiality and injustice, in permitting only books of their 
 own party, if they relate to their religious persuasions, 
 and stopping all others ; and then many that may be 
 unjustly defamed and grossly calumniated, and their 
 principles perverted (as many have been served) by 
 scandalous pamphlets, fictitious romances, and false di- 
 alogues, would not be suffered to answer in defence of 
 themselves ; which would be very unfair, partial, and 
 unjust, if the press should be restrained only to a party. 
 Yet it is very meet it should be so far restrained, as
 
 APPENDIX. 171 
 
 not to be suffered to print either seditious news, or pam- 
 phlets against the government, or tending to introduce 
 or promote vice, immorality, impiety, or profaneness ; 
 and that all licentious, obscene books and pamphlets, 
 tending to deprave and vitiate youth, be stopped and 
 suppressed. 
 
 To conclude, the premises seriously considered, we 
 pray you be more charitable in your judgment towards 
 us, and do as you would be done by ; and not ready to 
 credit or receive reproaches or calumnies against us, 
 the said people, from invidious incendiaries, tending to 
 raise persecution ; for that would not tend to the glory 
 of God, your honour, or inward peace. 
 
 We humbly hope the queen of Great Britain, (whom 
 God preserve,) is better principled and more just, than 
 to prejudge us upon injurious misrepresentations, or to 
 receive evil reports or aspersions against us, who are 
 her peaceable protestant subjects. 
 
 G. Whitehead. 
 W. Mead.
 
 ( 172 ) 
 
 A BRIEF ENQUIRY 
 
 Upon an Invidious Boole, or Pamphlet, styled, "JL 
 Winding-sheet for Quakerism;" lately delivered to 
 the mc?nbers of parliament ; and also said to be '■'■ A 
 hriif enquiry into the toleration of the Quakers ; by 
 Edward Cockson," who styles himself M. A. Rec- 
 tor of Westcot Barton in the County of Oxon. 
 
 Together with a few Queries, proposed to the Lower 
 House of Convocation, relating to the said book, se- 
 riously to consider of. 
 
 Whereas the design and scope of the said pretended 
 Winding-sheet appears to be against the toleration, and 
 to have the same taken away, especially from the peo- 
 ple called Quakers in the first place, as being the prin- 
 cipal objects of his envy and fury, the meaning thereof 
 is, to take away the liberty of their conscience, respect- 
 ing their religious exercise in the worship of God in 
 their solemn assemblies, legally tolerated ; which to de- 
 prive them of, would tend either to make them athiests, 
 or hypocritical conformisls; or rather, if that cannot 
 be ellccted, to expose them to all such severities, pe- 
 nalties, and persecutions, as formerly they suffered 
 deeply under; and not only so, but the same legal se- 
 verities and sanguinary punishments, as, under the law 
 of Moses, were provided against blasphemers of the 
 name of God, false prophets, and other high offenders, 
 are urged and applied against the said people, and as 
 being still in force under the Gospel administration, p. 
 G. As if nothing would satisfy his fury, short of the 
 utter destruction of the said people. And for what
 
 APPENDIX. 173 
 
 cause alleged or pretended by him ? Even for no less 
 than heresies and blasphemies. Oh sad ! And what are 
 those chiefly, viz. 
 
 1. "That the professors of Quakerism prefer hea- 
 thenism to true Christianity," p. 3. 
 
 Ansioer. That were a sad error and heresy indeed, 
 to prefer heathenism to true Christianity, if we may 
 take heathenism to be idolatry and impiety, as truly it 
 is. But it is a gross falsehood and perversion against 
 the people called Quakers, and not deducible from 
 their writings, if justly quoted. For herein the man 
 puts no difference between heathenism, and the gentile 
 divinity professed, together with the piety and morality 
 practised by many of the philosophers and others ; 
 both of which the Quakers have commended, not pre- 
 ferred to true Christianity, but as agreeable thereto, 
 and included therein, against all false Christians and 
 hypocrites, under the profession of Christianity, pervert- 
 ed and abused by their sin pleasing and sinners' indul- 
 ging doctrines and corrupt conversations, who argue for 
 continuance of sin the term of life, contrary to the di- 
 vinity, piety, and Christianity found in divers heathen 
 writers. This is the true state of the Quakers' case, 
 in the point. 
 
 2. " As for us of the Church of England, their spite 
 against us is most superlative," p. 3. 
 
 Answer. This is a great mistake ; we do not hate any 
 of their persons ; no, not the priests, but their corrupt 
 practices, covetousncss, envy, pride, persecution, where 
 found among them who persecute and imprison our 
 Friends, and many times take away their goods to 
 great excess; sometimes for a small value claimed. 
 
 3. " That their great Robert Barclay advise! h to 
 have our glebes and tithes taken from us, and to put 
 them into the public treasury for the payment of taxes : 
 and declares, that this is the only way soundly to re- 
 form us," p. 4. Apol. p. 340. 
 
 Anszuer. A sad complaint ! How hard would this 
 pinch mercenary preachers ! Yet we hope it will not 
 
 p 2
 
 174 APPENDIX. 
 
 prove us heretics or guilty of heresy ; no more than 
 Christ's ministers were, in preaching the Gospel freely, 
 as they had freely received and were commanded by 
 Him. 
 
 And the apostle Paul was so much of Robert Bar- 
 clay's mind, as that tithes and oblations, or otrerings, 
 were discontinued under the Gospel Dispensation, as 
 being ended by Christ Jesus, the one Oflcring ; and the 
 priesthood that took tithes changed from Levi to Christ, 
 who came of the tribe of Judah, not of Levi. And 
 many of the protestant reformers and martyrs were 
 also of the same judgment, against the payment of 
 tithes under the Gospel and New Covenant Dispensa- 
 tion. And how strongly and clearly does the apostle 
 argue this case, for Christ's ending the first priesthood 
 and law of tithes and olFerings! Heb. vii — x. 
 
 4. On Heh. X. 23. 28, 29, " The whole place," saith 
 the rector, "seems chiefly to have respect to such he- 
 retics as deny Christ Jesus, and the efficacy of his 
 blood, as it is plain the Quakers do," quoth he, p. 7. 
 
 Answer. Where is it plain, that the Quakers deny 
 Christ Jesus, and the efficacy of his blood ? I am sure 
 such denial is expressly contrary to the principle and 
 profession of the people called Quakers ; and therefore 
 this adversary might have been horribly ashamed to 
 rank the said people among heretics, upon such noto- 
 rious calumnies, thereby to render them incapable of 
 the toleration, and consequently to expose them to se- 
 vere persecutions and ruin. 
 
 5. " About (he Sacred Trinity," he saith, " that the 
 Quakers cannot, dare not honestly declare the same, 
 in the same sense the compilers of the Act of Tolera- 
 tion understood the words, viz. That God the Father 
 is a distinct person from Jesus Christ, and from the 
 Holy Spirit; and that they are such a Three, as nei- 
 ther arc, nor can be more or less than Three," p. 11. 
 
 Answer, We hope we are not justly chargeable with 
 heresy, for confessing the blessed Trinity or Divine 
 Three, in Holy Scripture terms, according as is declar-
 
 ArrENDix. 175 
 
 ed in the said act, viz. '• That we, the said people, do 
 profess faith in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ his 
 Eternal Son, and in the Holy Spirit, One God blessed 
 for over." 
 
 'I'hough this profession and confession has given sa- 
 tisfaction to the civil government, as being both Chris- 
 tian and scriptural, yet it does not satisfy the said rec- 
 tor ; but he will needs make himself an expositor of the 
 sense and understanding of the law-makers, p. II, and 
 would impose other terms than the law requires in the 
 case. We think it very unfair and uncharitable, to 
 be deemed guilty of heresy for not confessing our faith 
 in unscrlptural terms ; while we confess the Eternal 
 Deity in plain Scripture terms, also allowed of by act 
 of parliament, as the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit, 
 Matt. xxvIII. 19. 1 John v. 7, and their union in the 
 Divine Essence. 
 
 Observ e, Edward Cockson, M. A. rector, so called, 
 in order to have the people called Quakers punished, 
 thus proceeds to instances, viz. 
 
 Page 5. " God hath imprinted It in the hearts of all 
 mankind, to vindicate his honour, and to punish all that 
 are under their jurisdiction who dishonour Him. Thus 
 Artaxerxes, king of Persia, having granted to the Jews 
 that v.'ere in his dominions, that as many of them as 
 pleased might return with Ezra to Jerusalem, he there- 
 upon makes a decree for the establishment of the true 
 worship of the true God, &c. And mark what follows : 
 * Whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the 
 law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily 
 upon him, whether It be unto death, or to banishment, 
 or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment,' Ezra 
 vii. 13. 25, 20. And Ezra blessed God for this decree, 
 and put It In execution accordingly," Ezra x. 7, 8. 
 
 Whereupon I query of the said Convocation, viz. 
 
 Qiurij 1, How can this instance warrant or excuse 
 
 persecution against peaceable dissenting protestants, 
 
 either to death, banishment, confiscation of goods, or 
 
 imprisonment, for worshipping the true God as per-
 
 176 APPENDIX. 
 
 suaded in conscience, though diiTcring in manner or 
 form from that which is national I 
 
 2. Did not the said king of Persia grant free hberty 
 of conscience to the Jews, to worship the God of hea- 
 ven as it was imprinted in their hearts, or they per- 
 suaded according to his laws 1 Where was then any 
 compulsion to the contrary, so as to enforce them to 
 any national worship of the Persians or other nations? 
 
 3. And was not Artaxerxes, king of Persia, both 
 charitable and generous to Israel, in granting them 
 such free liberty as that as many of them as were 
 minded, of their own free will, should go up to Jerusa- 
 lem with Ezra 1 Also alTording them great accommo- 
 dation and encouragement, Ezra vii. ; as also did Cyrus, 
 king of Persia, before him, chap. i. 
 
 4. And did not the Lord put it into the hearts of 
 these great kings, to grant this free religious liberty and 
 encouragement unto his people ? 
 
 5. And did they not therein excel all persecuting 
 kings and emperors, and all such piiests as would in- 
 cense rulers to persecute us for our religion and con- 
 science towards God ? 
 
 6. But will nothing serve or please your rector 
 now, against the Quakers, but either the penalty of 
 death, or banishment, or confiscation of goods, or im- 
 prisonment 1 These have been tried already, in great 
 measure, for their peaceable, religious, and solemn as- 
 semblies ; though the said king of Persia could never 
 intend those penalties against Israel for their religion 
 or worship, having so greatly encouraged them therein. 
 
 Rector, p. G. " lie only who was supreme was pro- 
 perly custos utriusque tabula;, to him was committed 
 the care to punish murderers, adulterers, and thieves, 
 &c. and also idolaters, blasphemers, filsc prophets, &c. 
 none of which he was to tolerate, but to root them out 
 of his dominions, Exod. xxii. 18, 20. Deiit, xiii. 1, 2, 3, 
 .'). xvii. 2-7, 12. Lev. xxiv. 16, with many other places. 
 Now that these commands are obligatory to Christian 
 magistrates, under the Gospel administration also, will
 
 APPENDIX. 177 
 
 appear if we consider, 1st, That none of them were 
 ever revoked, repealed, or cancelled by Christ or any 
 of his apostles. 2ndly, Ratio iminutabilis facit prsecep- 
 tum imniutabile, the very same reasons for which 
 these commandments were at tirst given, remain still 
 and are as strong as ever. Blasphemies, idolatries, and 
 false prophecies are the same sins still, and God is the 
 same God still, and hates these sins as much now as 
 ever." 
 
 Whereupon 1 enquire of the Convocation : 
 Q. 1. Are you of the same judgment or opinion 
 with your rector, that blasphemers and false prophets 
 and false teachers are to be stoned to death by Chris- 
 tian magistrates, under the Gospel administration, as 
 blasphemers and false prophets were under the law of 
 Moses, Deut. xiii. quoted by the rector? And must 
 Gospel ministers now be judges in cases of life and 
 death, as priests were then ? Deut. xvii. 9-12. 
 
 Rector, p. 7. " And God has the same power to pun- 
 ish now as ever. If therefore God hath at any time 
 forbidden those sins. He forbids them still ; and the 
 same punishments that by his command were once to 
 be inflicted for them, are still to be inflicted, till they 
 are by Him revoked or altered ; for where the same 
 causes for the same punishments are perpetual, there 
 the same punishments ought to be perpetual also." 
 
 2. Note, under the administration of the law of 
 Moses, and Old Covenant, not only false prophets, blas- 
 phemers, and idolaters, &c. but also sabbath-breakers, 
 rebellious sons to their parents, as drunkards, riotous 
 persons, whoremongers, and adulterers, were to be 
 stoned to death. Lev. xx. 2. xxiv.'14, 15. Numb, xv.35, 
 36. Deut. xiii. 5, 10. xvii. 5, xxi. 21. and xxii. 21, 24. 
 
 3. Are you of the same judgment with your rector 
 in these cases, that all such oifenders as mentioned 
 should be stoned to death, under the Gospel adminis- 
 tration, by Christian magistrates ? 
 
 4. And would it not atfect and somewhat thin your 
 own society or Church, to have all whoremongers and
 
 178 APPENDIX. 
 
 adulterers, rebellious sons and false teachers stoned to 
 death ? And would not that make sad and bloody work 
 in the land ? Or would that be the way to convert 
 such ofFenders, or send them to heaven? 
 
 5. Has your rector in these cases preached like a 
 minister of Christ, of the Gospel or New Testament ? 
 
 6. Did our blessed Lord Jesus Christ give sentence 
 against the woman taken in adultery, that she should 
 be stoned to death ? Or rather did He not show more 
 mercy to her than her accusers and persecutors would 
 have done, when He convicted and silenced them, and 
 said unto her: " Hath no man condemned thee ?" "No, 
 Lord," said she. " Neither do 1 condemn thee," said 
 He ; " go and sin no more," Jnhn viii. S-IL 
 
 Rector, p. 7. " The New Testament is so far from 
 repealing those laws, (that is, of the Old,) that it rather 
 more strongly enforces them. For the apostle having 
 exhorted us to hold fast the profession of our faith with- 
 out wavering, &lc. Hcb. x. 23-27, he adds, vcr. 28, 29 : 
 " He that despised Moses' law, died without mercy un- 
 der two or three witnesses : of how much sorer pun- 
 ishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who 
 hath trodden under foot the Son of God," &c. The 
 whole place seems to have respect to such heretics as 
 deny Christ Jesus, and the efficacy of his blood, as it is 
 plain the (Quakers do," &c. 
 
 Q. L What sorer punishment would your rector 
 have inflicted upon the Quakers than death ? 
 
 Note, but he is a false accuser and an unjust judge 
 therein, and this charge against the Quakers mentioned, 
 is utterly false, and contrary to our Christian principle, 
 of our love and respect to our dear Lord and Saviour 
 Jesus Christ, and his precious blood, &c. 
 
 2. But if we were guilty of error or heresy in this, 
 or any other point of Christianity, vvere it not more 
 Christian for your rector, in a Gospel spirit, to endea- 
 vour our conviction and conversion by Holy Scripture, 
 on a true state of matter of fact, than to endeavour our 
 destruction, or to have us stoned to death, or our brains
 
 APPENDIX. 179 
 
 knocked out 1 we being really unwilling to be tenacious 
 in any error, if convicted thereof. May we not say : 
 " From all such cruel, hard hearted, and unmerciful 
 men, good Lord deliver us ?" 
 
 Rector, p. 7. ibid. " This very thing was prophesied 
 of, even in Gospel times, that in those very days false 
 prophets should be cut off, Zech. xiii. 2, 3. And St. 
 Peter makes false prophets and false teachers to be 
 equivalent, 2 Pet. ii. 1, &c." 
 
 Whereupon I enquire of the Convocation : 
 
 Q. 1. Does your judgment agree with your rector's 
 concerning that prophecy, Zech. xiii. 2, 3 ; that is, that 
 the same was intended for Gospel times, or that under 
 the New Testament or Gospel administration, false pro- 
 phets and false teachers should be cut off by the magis- 
 trate's sword, or stoned to death ? 
 
 Note, of false prophets, mentioned Zech. xiii. 2, 3, 
 who were to be cut off, ver. 3, it is said : " And when 
 any shall yet prophesy, his father and his mother that 
 begat him shall say unto him, thou shalt not live, for 
 thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord ; and his 
 father and his mother shall thrust him through when 
 he prophesieth." 
 
 2. Must his father and mother then be his execu- 
 tioners in the Gospel times, literally taken, as your 
 rector seems to carry the text, Zech. xiii. 2, 3, to have 
 such as he deems false prophets and hereticks, &-c. cut 
 off and put to death ? And if by their fathers and mo- 
 thers, what bloody, unnatural, and inhuman work would 
 this make among professed Christians, for parents to 
 kill their own children ! 
 
 3. And where do you find any texts in the New Tes- 
 tament, enforcing the killing or stoning to death either 
 false prophets, blasphemers, or heretics ? but admoni- 
 tion, rejection, or leaving them to the judgment of God, 
 if obstinate and impenitent ; and giving open warning to 
 others against such, and their pernicious doctrines, prac- 
 tices, and destruction, as the holy apostles did, 2 Pe4. 
 ii. and Jude's epistle, &,c.
 
 ISO APPENDIX. 
 
 Seeing your said rector, Edward Cockson, appears 
 so zealous for the law of Moses and that of the king of 
 Persia, Ezra vii. 2G, to be executed upon such as he 
 judges heretics, blasphemers, false prophets, false 
 teachers, and idolaters, &,c. 
 
 I would ask him or any of you his brethren these 
 questions : 
 
 Q. 1. If you do not deem the papists heretics, ido- 
 laters, and blasphemers, in their doctrine and belief of 
 transubstantiation, their eucharist, their sacrament of 
 the altar, and adoration given thereunto, as to Christ 
 Jesus his body and blood ? 
 
 2. Would you have them cut off or stoned to death, 
 who are of that persuasion and religion or profession 
 with the Church of Rome, or only the Quakers? 
 
 3. Would it be cither Christian or safe for any, es- 
 teemed protestant ministers, to follow papists' examples, 
 so as to excite the supreme magistrate or civil govern- 
 ment, to cut off or put (o death those whom they think 
 or judge heretics, blasphemers, idolaters, &c. 
 
 4. Does not the Church of Rome judge all, both you 
 and us, who dissent from that Church, to be heretics ? 
 And what is the consequence aimed at thereby, but to 
 cut off all such dissenters, if such a persecuting power 
 should be permitted to prevail ? So that according to 
 this rector's notion, may not protestants cut off all pa- 
 pists, and papists cut off all protestants; and so all pro- 
 fessors of Christianity become extinct? 
 
 5. Are not persecutors apt to misapply those laws 
 intended against notorious otlenders, to condemn, punish, 
 and destroy the innocent and the righteous; as did 
 the Jews who stoned the prophets ? 2 Citron, xxiv. 21. 
 Mali. xxi. 35. xxiii. 37. Luke xiii. 34. And they took 
 up stones to stone Christ, falsely charging Him with 
 blasphemy, John x. 31-33. xi. 8. And they stoned 
 Stephen, Ada vii. 58, 59. And they stoned Paul for 
 preaching the Gospel of Christ Jesus, Acts xiv. 19. 
 
 6. Can you reasonably suppose it will be for the 
 honour of your Church, to allow of any of your breth-
 
 APPENDIX. 181 
 
 ren, reclors, ministers, or members, to endeavour to in- 
 cense the government to severe persecution, as this 
 your rector Edward Cockson has done 1 
 
 Although I have endeavoured to be brief in this en- 
 quiry, yet 1 am concerned, on retrospection, to add 
 something further. 
 
 Whereas the said rector would have the supreme 
 magistrate not only the custos ulriusquc tabula3, which 
 is a high undertaking; and would have the care com- 
 mitted to him of punishing not only murderers, adul- 
 terers, and thieves, &c. but also all idolaters, blas- 
 phemers, and false prophets, so as not to tolerate any of 
 them, but to root them out of his dominions, p. 6 : here 
 he has cut out heavy work for the supreme magistrate 
 and governors. But who must be judge, and upon 
 whose evidence. If the priest and levite, or invidious 
 persecuting rector, we may expect no compassion, no 
 mercy nor justice from him or them, who prejudged 
 and condemned us and our case without proof, or any 
 just or clear evidence of matter of fact. As this our 
 arbitrary judge and dictator has passed his judgment, 
 and black characters of idolaters, blasphemers, and 
 false prophets, even unto banishment and death, &c. 
 aforehand ; without any judicial trial or Gospel admi- 
 nistration or law thereof, for the punishments assigned 
 by him ; to make the civil magistrate rather a breaker 
 of the two tables, than custos utriusque tabulae. For 
 this adversary's invectives do not tend to excite the civil 
 magistrate either to justice or lo that love which is the 
 fulfilling and end of the law or decalogue, but to ex- 
 treme severity and persecution against his neighbours; 
 which is far from loving his neighbour as himself. It 
 would become him and his brethien to be better ex- 
 amples and preachers, in spirit, conversation, and doc- 
 trine, than any of them to be incendiaries to the per- 
 secution and ruin of their quiet neighl)Ours. 
 
 And whereas our persecuting adversary would have 
 the same severities inflicted upon those he deems here- 
 
 VOL. II. Q
 
 182 APPENDIX. 
 
 tics, &,c. under the Gospel administration, as were 
 commanded to be inflicted under the legal upon blas- 
 phemers, Sic; let us a little farther examine his proofs. 
 
 If Rom. xiii. 4. be insisted upon, and it be thence in- 
 ferred that the magistrate should execute wrath upon 
 false teachers, &-c. because he bears not the sword in 
 vain ; surely the holy apostle did not intend that the 
 magistrate, in the Gospel day, should kill or cut off 
 false teachers, or cause them to be stoned to death who 
 are mistaken in some doctrine or prophecy ; but rather 
 that they should be better persuaded, convinced, and 
 converted by sound doctrine. 
 
 And in his exhorting to be subject to the higher 
 powers, Rom. xiii. 1. he could not mean, that the Chris- 
 tian believers in Christ, then in Rome or elsev^here, 
 should subject their faith, religion, conscience, and wor- 
 ship, to the wills of heathen emperors at Rome, or to the 
 kings or rulers of the earth who were of dilFerent reli- 
 gions; for then there would have been no persecutions, 
 no martyrs of Jesus Christ under the Roman emperors 
 or others, as there were: if their subjection had been 
 such, they must only have been of the ruler's religion, 
 whether idolater, papist, mahometan, &c. It is no 
 Christian argument therefore, to strain the text Rom. 
 xiii. to such an uncertain, unchristian, and I may say, 
 irreligious subjection ; and not that of true Christians 
 and martyrs of Jesus, who rather submitted to deep suf- 
 ferings than violate their conscience or Christian reli- 
 gion. 
 
 1. The punishment mentioned Hcb. x. 28, 29, of such 
 adversaries, rebellious and hardened apostates and con- 
 temners of Christ and the blood of his covenant, appears 
 not to be intended of such like temporal punishment or 
 death by the magistrate, as that was to him that de- 
 spised Moses's law under that dispensation ; but rather 
 divine vengeance or fiery indignation from God, to de- 
 vour such adversaries and wilful contemners of the 
 Truth. See Hcb. x. 
 
 Certainly if any persons do so backslide, and become
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 163 
 
 such wilful sinners and adversaries against Christ and 
 his Gospel Dispensation, after they have received the 
 knowledge of the Truth, they do not only lose and forfeit 
 the blessed effects and benefits of Christ's sacrifice, blood, 
 and atonement, but do incur nnuch heavier and sorer 
 punishment from the hand of God, as Judge, than that 
 of a temporal death to the despiscrs of Moses's law. 
 
 Our God is and will be a consuming fire to his adver- 
 saries and enemies, who continue in rebellion against 
 Him, his Light, Truth, and Spirit of Grace, doing de- 
 spite thereunto : and it is and will be a fearful thing to 
 fall into the hands of the living God ; when there re- 
 mains no more a sacrifice for sin, but a certain fearful 
 looking for of judgment and fiery indignation to devour 
 the adversaries. 
 
 2. But now as we profess Christianity and the dis- 
 pensation of Christ and of the New Covenant of mercy 
 and grace, &.c. let us consider what punishments did 
 ever Christ or his Gospel ministers assign, or excite the 
 civil magistrates unto, against persons in error or heresy ? 
 Did they tell them they must banish them or hang 
 them, or burn them, or stone them to death? I think 
 not. I find no such precept in the New Testament. 
 
 The sadducees who believed no resurrection, neither 
 angel nor spirit, Alntl. xxii. 23. Mark xii. 18. Luke xx. 
 27. ylcts xxiii. 8; did Christ deliver them into the hands 
 of the magistrates, to punish them or stone them to 
 death, according to the law of Moses t No, surely ! 
 He rather told them : " Ye err, not knowing the Scrip- 
 tures nor the power of God;" and taught them better, 
 to convince them of their error and to persuade them 
 out of it. 
 
 And the man that was an heretic, what punishment 
 did the holy apostle assign or direct against him? but 
 after admonition once or twice to reject him I 
 
 And to have " no fellowship with the unfruitful works 
 of darkness; but rather to reprove them." 
 
 And as we freely acknowledge magistracy or the 
 civil government to be God's ordinance, appointed for
 
 184 APPENDIX. 
 
 the punishment of evil doers, and the praise of them that 
 do well ; so they that undertake that office and trust 
 upon them, had need to be careful that they do not 
 condemn the innocent and acquit Ihe guilty; and that 
 they be tender of men's lives, liberties, and properties, 
 especially where no overt act, demeriling such penal- 
 ties, can be proved. And also that they be careful not 
 to condemn persons upon reports and defamations of in- 
 vidious or mercenary informers ; as Saul, upon the re- 
 port of Doeg the Edomite, caused fourscore and five of 
 the Lord's priests then to be slain, even by the mis- 
 chievous Edomite, when Saul's own servants or footmen 
 would not do it, 1 Sam. xxii. 18. 
 
 " He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the 
 fear of God ; and he shall be as the light of the morn- 
 ing when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds ; 
 as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear 
 shining after rain," 2 Satn. xxiii. 3, 4. So Uiat the just 
 ruler in the fear of God, must have a clear understand- 
 ing and judgment in the fear of God and his Light, 
 therein to shine in justice, righteousness, mercy, and 
 truth ; which will be to the great comfort and refresh- 
 ment of the righteous and tender in heart, who truly 
 fear God. 
 
 It is mercy and truth whereby the king's throne is 
 established ; without which, thrones are tottering, 
 shaken, and soon overturned. And therefore ail men 
 in power and authority should diligently mind God's 
 power and wisdom, whereby they may stand and rule 
 in righteousness. For saith that Wisdom : " By me 
 kings reign, and princes decree justice : by me princes 
 rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth," Prov. 
 viii. 1.5, 16. 
 
 It is not because they are made kings or princes, that 
 that they reign and rule, and decree justice and are 
 established ; but because they are under Wisdom's con- 
 duct who are just men and rulers fearing God, before 
 whom they must appear, and be accountable to Him 
 as their Judge, who is the righteous Judge of all
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 185 
 
 To conclude, if any should suppose that I have re- 
 flected too hardly upon our adversary the rector, which 
 nnay allect others of his function, I may sincerely tell 
 them : 
 
 1. I never met with any persecuting adversary, that 
 has written more invidiously to incense the government 
 to extreme persecution against us, &c. than he has 
 done ; as appears to me and many others. 
 
 2. 1 have not at all designed to cast his olTence upon 
 any others of his function or priesthood, who are not 
 guilty of the same or like oflence, nor countenancers 
 or approvers thereof; as 1 believe many of them are 
 not, but of a better principle, nature, and temper, than 
 to endeavour to raise persecution, to ruin their honest, 
 peaceable neighbours for religion and conscience : as 
 the ditference is apparent, by the severe persecutions 
 our Friends meet withal from some of the clergy, and 
 the moderation of others. 
 
 I pray God in mercy humble and subject all to his 
 wisdom and conduct, by his divine power. 
 
 G. W. 
 
 Q 2
 
 THE 
 
 CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE 
 
 AND 
 
 SOCIETY 
 
 OP THE 
 
 CLEARED FROM 
 
 THE REPROACH OF THE LATE DIVISION OF A FEW 
 IN SOME PART OF AMERICA ; 
 
 As not being justly chargeable upon the Body of the 
 said People, there or elsewhere. 
 
 Printed in the Year 1693. 
 
 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them diligently which canso 
 divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have 
 learned, and avoid them, Rom. xvi. 17. 
 
 Let all bitterness, and vvratli, and anger, and clamour, and evil- 
 speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. And be ye 
 kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even 
 as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you, Ephcs. iv. 31,32.
 
 THB 
 
 CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE, &c. 
 
 Whereas divers accounts have been lately pub- 
 lished in print, of some late division and disputes be- 
 tween some persons under the name of Quakers, in 
 Pennsylvania, about several fundamental doctrines of 
 the Christian faith, (as it is pretended by one party,) 
 which being particularly mentioned, and thereupon 
 occasion very unduly taken by our adversaries, to 
 reproach both the Christian ministry and the whole 
 body of the people commonly called Quakers, and their 
 holy and Christian profession, both in England and else- 
 where, though no way concerned in the said divisions 
 or matters charged ; but rather grieved and troubled 
 at it, and at the indiscreet and reproachful manage- 
 ment thereof in print, to the amusing and troubling the 
 world therewith, and giving occasion to the loose, igno- 
 rant, and profane, to slight and contemn the Truth, and 
 the interest of the tender religion of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ ; 
 
 We are therefore tenderly concerned for Truth's 
 sake in behalf of the said people, (as to the body of 
 them, and for all of them who are sincere to God, and 
 faithful to their Christian principle and profession,) to 
 use our just endeavours to remove the reproach, and 
 all causeless jealousies concerning us, touching those 
 doctrines of Christianity, or any of them pretended or 
 supposed, to be in question in the said division ; in rela- 
 tion whereunto we do, in the fear of God, and in sim- 
 plicity and plainness of his Truth received, solemnly 
 and sincerely declare, what our Christian belief and
 
 190 APPENDIX. 
 
 profession has been, and still is, in respect to Jesus 
 Christ the only begotten Son of God ; his suffering, 
 death, resurrection, glory, light, power, great day of 
 judgment, &c. 
 
 We sincerely profess faith in God by his only begot- 
 ten Son Jesus Christ, as being our Light and Life, our 
 only way to the Father, and also our only Mediator 
 and Advocate with the Father.* 
 
 That God created all things ; He made the worlds by 
 his Son Jesus Christ, lie being that powerful and Liv- 
 ing Word of God by whom all things were made ;t and 
 that the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit are one 
 in divine being inseperable ; one true, living, and eter- 
 nal God blessed for ever.J 
 
 Yet that this Word or Son of God, in the fulness of 
 time took llesh, became perfect man — according to the 
 flesh descended and came of the seed of Abraham and 
 David, II but was miraculously conceived by the Holy 
 Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary.§ And also fur- 
 ther declared powerfully to be the Son of God, accord- 
 ing to the spirit of sanctilication, by the resurrection 
 from the dead.U 
 
 That in the Word or Son of God, was life : and the 
 same life was the Light of men : and that He was that 
 true Light w4iich enlightens every man coming into 
 the world.** And therefore that men are to believe in 
 the Light, that they may become children of the 
 Light.ff Hereby we believe in Christ the Son of God, 
 as He is the Light and Life within us ; and wherein we 
 must needs have sincere respect and honour to and 
 belief in Christ, as in his own unapproachable and in- 
 comprehensible glory and fulness,JJ as He is the Foun- 
 tain of Life and Light, and giver thereof unto us; 
 Christ, as in himself and as in us, being not divided. 
 And that, as man, Christ died for our sins, rose again, 
 
 * Heb. xii. 2. 1 Pet. i. 21. Jolin xiv 6. 1 Tim. ii. v. t Ephes. 
 iii. 9. John i. 1,2, 3. Ilcb. i. 2. | 1 John v. 7. || Rom. i. 3, 4. 
 {Mat. i. 23. ITRom. i.3, 4. ♦*Johni. 4. 9. tt John xii. 36. Isa. 
 ii. 5. \X 1 Tim. vi. 16.
 
 CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE. 191 
 
 and was received up into glory in the heavens:* He 
 having, in his dying for all, been that one great univer- 
 sal oiJering and sacrifice for peace, atonement, and 
 reconcihation between God and man.f And He is the 
 propitiation not for our sins only, but for the sins of the 
 whole world.J We were reconciled by his death, but 
 saved by his life. 
 
 That Jesus Christ who sitteth at the right hand of 
 the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, is yet our 
 King, High Priest, and Prophet ;|] in his church a min- 
 ister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which 
 the Lord pitched and not man.§ He is Intercessor and 
 Advocate with the Father in heaven, and there appear- 
 ing in the presence of God for us ;TI being touched 
 with the feeling of our infirmities, sutFerings, and sor- 
 rows; and also by his Spirit in our hearts He maketh 
 intercession according to the will of God, crying, Abba, 
 Father.** 
 
 For any whom God hath giftedff and called sincere- 
 ly to preach faith in the same Christ, both as within 
 and without us, cannot be to preach two Christs, but 
 one and the same Lord Jesus Christ ;JJ having respect 
 to those degrees of our spiritual knowledge of Christ 
 Jesus in us,|||| and to his own unspeakable fulness and 
 glory§§, as in Himself, in his own entire being; where- 
 in Christ Himself and the least measure of his light or 
 life as in us or in mankind, are not divided nor separa- 
 ble, any more than the sun is from its light. And as He 
 ascended far above all heavens, that He might fill all 
 things,TI^ his fulness cannot be comprehended or con- 
 
 * 1 Pet. iii. 18. I Tim. iii. 16. Mat. x\x. 28, and xxv. 31. Luke 
 ii. 26, and .\xiv. 26. ^ Rom. v. 10, 11. Hcb. ii. 17, 18. Epiies. ii. 
 16, 17. Col. i. 20, 21,22. $ 1 Jo'm '•• 2. 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. Heb. ii. 
 9. jl Zccli. ix. 9. Luke xix. 38. John xii. 15. Heb. iii. 1. 6. Deut, 
 iviii. 15. 18. Acts iii. 22. and vii. 37. } Heb. viii. I, 2. If Heb. vii. 
 2.5. Heb. ix. 24. ** Rom. viii. 26, 27, 34. Gal. iv 6. tt Ephes. 
 iii. 7. 1 Peter iv. 10. tt • Cor. viii. 6. xv. iii. 8. |||| John iv. 26, and 
 xvi. 13, 14, 15. {( John i. 16. HH Ephcs. iv. 10.
 
 192 APPENDIX. 
 
 tained in any finite creature,* but is in measure known 
 and experienced in us, as we are capable to receive 
 the same ; as of his fulness we have received grace for 
 grace. Christ our Mediator received the Spirit, not 
 by measuref but in fulness ; but to every one of us is 
 given grace, according to the measure of hisgift.J 
 
 That the Gospel of the grace of God should be 
 preached in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy 
 Ghost, II being one§ in power, wisdom, and goodness, and 
 indivisible, or not to be divided in the great work of 
 man's salvation. 
 
 We sincerely confess and believe in Jesus Christ, 
 both as He is true God and perfect man,^ and that He 
 is the Author of our living faith in the power and good- 
 ness of God, as manifest in his Son Jesus Christ, and 
 by his own blessed Spirit or Divine Unction revealed in 
 us,** whereby we inwardly feel and taste of his good- 
 ness,ff life and virtue; so as our souls live and prosper 
 by and in Him, and in the inward sense of this Divine 
 Power of Christ, and faith in the same ; and this inward 
 experience is absolutely necessary to make a true, sin- 
 cere, and perfect Christian in spirit and life. 
 
 That Divine honour and worship is due to tlie Son 
 ofGod;J:i: and that He is in true faith to be prayed 
 unto, and the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ called 
 upon, as the primitive Christians did,|l||, because of the 
 glorious union or oneness of the Father and the Son;§§ 
 and that we cannot acceptably olFer up prayers or 
 praises to God, nor receive a gracious answer or bless- 
 ing from God, but in and through his dear Son Christ. 
 
 That Christ's body which was crucified, was not the 
 Godhead, yet by the power of God was raised from the 
 dead; and that the same Christ who was therein cru- 
 cified, ascended into heaven and gloryTI*lf is not ques- 
 
 * Col. i. 19. anil ii. 9. + John iii. 34. | Ephcs. iv. 7. || Mat. 
 xxviii. 19. } John i. 1,2,3, 4. t John i. 1, 2. Rem. ix. 5. 1 John 
 V. 20. I Tim. ii.5. ■ * 1 John ii. 20. 27. and i. 1. tt I Pclcr ii. 3. 
 John vi. 33. 35. 51. 57, 58. || John v. 23. Hob. i. 6. |||| 1 Cor. i. 2. 
 Acts vii. 59. }} John x. 30. 1 John v. 7. H If Luke xxiv. 26.
 
 CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE. 193 
 
 tioned by us. His flesh saw no corruption ;* it did not 
 corrupt ; but 3'^et doubtless his body was changed into 
 a more gloriousf and heavenly condition than it was 
 when subject to divers sufferings on earth ; but how 
 and what manner of change it met withal after it was 
 raised from the dead, so as to become such a glorious 
 body as it is declared to be, is too wonderful for mor- 
 tals to conceive, apprehend, or pry into ; and more 
 meet for angels to see. The Scripture is silent therein, 
 as to the manner thereof, and we are not curious to en- 
 quire or dispute it ; nor do we esteem it necessary to 
 make ourselves wise abovej what is written, as to the 
 manner or condition of Christ's glorious body as in hea- 
 ven, any more than to enquire how Christ appeared in 
 divers manners or forms,]| or how He came in among 
 his disciples, the door being shut ;§ or how He vanished 
 out of their sight, after He was risen. However, we 
 have cause to believe his body, as in heaven, is changed 
 into a most glorious condition, far transcending what it 
 was in on earth ; otherwise how should our low body 
 be changed, so as to be made like unto his glorious 
 body ;^ for when He was on earth, and attended with 
 sufferings. He was said to be like unto us in all things, 
 sin only excepted :** which may not be said of Him as 
 now in a state of glory, as He prayed for ;ff otherwise 
 where would be the change both in Him and us ? 
 
 True and living faith in Christ Jesus the Son of the 
 Living God,JJ has respect to his entire being and ful- 
 ness; to Him entirely, as in Himself, and as all power 
 in heaven and earth is given unto him ;{|{| and also an 
 eye and respect to the same Son of God,§§ as inwardly 
 making Himself known in the soul in every degree of 
 his Light, Life, Spirit, Grace, and Truth ; and as He 
 
 * Psalm xvi. 10. Acts ii. 31, and xiii. 35. 37. t Phil. iii. 21 . :j: 1 
 Cor. iv. 4. 6. || Mark xvi. 12. John xx. 15. J John xx. 19. Luke 
 xxiv. 36, 37, and xxiv, 31. IT Phil. iii. 2 1. ** Heb. ii. 17, and iv. 
 15. tt John xvii. 5. Xt John xiv. 1. |{{| Mat. xxviii, 18. xi. 27. 
 John xvii. 2. Heb. i. 4. ii. 8. 55 John xiv. 23. xvii. 21, 22, 23, 24. 
 26. 
 
 VOL. II. R
 
 194 APPENDIX. 
 
 is both the Word of Faith and a Quickening Spirit in 
 us,* whereby He is the immediate cause, author, ob- 
 ject, and strength of our Hving faith in his Name and 
 rower, and of the work of our salvation from sin and 
 bondage of corruption. And the Son of God cannot be 
 divided from the least or lowest appearance of his own 
 Divine Light or Life in us or in mankind, no more than 
 the sun from its own light ; nor is the sufficiency of his 
 Light within, by us set up in opposition to Him the 
 Man Christ, or his fulness considered as in Himself, or 
 without us ; nor can any measure or degree of light re- 
 ceived from Christ, as such, be properly called the 
 fulness of Christ, or Christ as in fulness, nor exclude 
 Him, so considered, from being our complete Saviour: 
 for Christ himself to be our Light, our Life and Savi- 
 our,! is so consistent, that without his Light we could 
 not know life, nor Him to save us from sin or deliver 
 us from darkness, condemnation or wrath to come. 
 
 And where the least degree or measure of this Light 
 and Life of Christ within, is sincerely waited for, fol- 
 lowed, and obeyed, there is a blessed increase of light 
 and grace known and felt : as the path of the just, it 
 shines more and more until the perfect day ;J and 
 thereby a growing in grace, and in the knowledge of 
 God, and of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, hath 
 been and is truly experienced. And this Light, Life, 
 or Spirit of Christ within, for they are one Divine Prin- 
 ciple, is sufficient to lead into all truth, having in it the 
 divers ministrations both of judgment and mercy, both 
 of law and gospel ; even that gospel which is preached 
 in every intelligent creature under heaven. It does 
 not only, as in its first ministration, manifest sin, and 
 reprove and condemn for sin ; but also excites and leads 
 them that believe in it to true repentance, and there- 
 upon to receive that mercy, pardon, and redemption in 
 Christ Jesus, which He has obtained for mankind, on 
 
 ♦ 1 Cor. XV. 45. Rom. X. 7, 8. f John i. 4. 9. iii. 19, 20. x. ii. 35, 
 36. 46. viii. 12. | Prov. iv. 18. Pa. rixvi. 9.
 
 CHRISTIAN DOCTRINK. 195 
 
 those gospel terms of faith in his Name, true repent- 
 ance, and conversion to Christ, thereby required. 
 
 So that the Light and Life of the Son of God within, 
 truly obeyed and followed, as being the principle of the 
 second or new covenant, as Christ the Light is confess- 
 ed to be, even as He is the Seed or Word of Faith in 
 all men ; this does not leave men or women who be- 
 lieve in the Light, under the first covenant, nor as sons 
 of the bond-woman, as the literal Jews were when gone 
 from the Spirit of God and his Christ in them ; but it 
 naturally leads them into the new covenant, into the 
 new and living way, and to the adoption of sons, to be 
 children and sons of the free-woman, of Jerusalem from 
 above. 
 
 It is true that we ought not to lay aside, nor should 
 any undervalue, but highly esteem true preaching and 
 the Holy Scriptures, and the sincere belief and faith of 
 Christ as He died for our sins, and rose again for our 
 justification, together with Christ's inward and spiritual 
 appearance and work of grace in the soul, livingly to 
 open the mystery of his death, and perfectly to etTect 
 our reconciliation, sanctification, and justification ; and 
 wherever Christ qualifies and calls any to preach and 
 demonstrate the mystery of his coming, death, and re- 
 surrection, &c. even among the gentiles, Christ ought 
 accordingly to be both preached, and believed and re- 
 ceived. 
 
 Yet supposing that there have been, or are such pi- 
 ous and conscientious gentiles, in whom Christ was and 
 is as the Seed or Principle of the second or new cove- 
 nant, the Light, the Word of Faith, as is granted, and 
 that such live uprightly and faithfully to that Light 
 they have, or to what is made known of God in them, 
 and who, therefore, in that state, cannot perish, but 
 shall be saved, as is also confessed ; and supposing these 
 have not the outward advantage of preaching. Scrip- 
 ture, or thence the knowledge of Christ's outward com- 
 ing, and being outwardly crucified and risen from the 
 dead, can such, thus considered, be justly excluded
 
 19G APPENDIX. 
 
 Chrislianity, or the covenant of grace, as to the virtue, 
 life, and nature thereof, or truly deemed no Christians, 
 or void of any Christian faith in the hfe and power of 
 the Son of God within, or he only sons of the first cove- 
 nant and bondwoman, HUe the hteral outside Jews? 
 Or must all be excluded any true knowledge or faith 
 of Christ within them, unless they have the knowledge 
 of Christ as without them ? No sure ! for that would 
 imply insufficiency in Christ and l)is Light as within 
 them, and frustrateGod's good end and promise of Christ, 
 and his free and universal love and grace to mankind 
 in sending his Son. We charitably believe (he contra- 
 ry, that they must have some true faith and interest in 
 Christ and his mediation, because of God's free love in 
 Christ to all mankind, and Chrisfs dying for all men*, 
 and being given for a Light of the gentiles, and for sal- 
 vation to the ends of the earth.f And because of their 
 living up sincerely and faithfully to his Light in them, 
 their being pious, conscientious, accepted, and saved, as 
 is granted, we cannot reasonably think a sincere, pious, 
 or godly man, wholly void of Christianity, of what na- 
 tion soever he may be ; because none can come to God 
 or godliness but by Christ,J by his Light and Grace in 
 them ; yet grant if there be such pious and sincere men 
 or women as have not the Scripture, or knowledge of 
 Christ as outwardly crucified, &.c. they are not perfect 
 Christians in all perfections, as in all knowledge, and 
 understanding all points of doctrine, and outward pro- 
 fession of Christ ; so that they are belter than they 
 profess or pretend to be ; they are more Jews inward 
 and Christians inward than in outward show or pro- 
 fession. 
 
 There are Christians sincere and perfect in kind or 
 nature, in life and substance, though not in knowledge 
 and understanding. A man or woman having the life 
 and fruits of true Christianity, the fruits of the Spirit of 
 
 * 2 Cor. V. 14, 15. t Isaiah xlix. 6. Luke ii. 32. Ac ts xiii 
 47. % John xiv. 6.
 
 CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE. 197 
 
 Christ in them, who can talk little thereof, or of creeds, 
 points or articles of faith, yea, many that cannot read 
 letters, yet may be true Christians in spirit and life ; 
 and some could die for Christ that could not dispute 
 for Him. And even infants that die in innocency, are 
 not excluded the grace of God, or salvation in and by 
 Christ Jesus ; the image and nature of the Son of God 
 being in some measure in them, and they under God's 
 care and special providence. See Maltheio, xviii. 2. 10. 
 
 And though we had the Holy Scriptures of the Old 
 and New Testament, and a belief of Christ crucified 
 and risen, &c. we never truly knew the mystery there- 
 of until we were turned to the Light of his Grace and 
 Spirit within us; we knew not what it was to be re- 
 conciled by his death, and saved by his life, or what it 
 was to know the fellowship of his sufferings, the power 
 of his resurrection, or to be made conformable unto his 
 death — we knew not, until He opened our eyes and 
 turned our minds from darkness unto his own Divine 
 Light and Life within us. 
 
 Notwithstanding, we do so sincerely and greatly 
 esteem and value the Holy Scriptures, preaching, and 
 teaching of faithful, divinely inspired, gifted, and quali- 
 fied persons and ministers of Jesus Christ, as being great 
 outward helps, and instrumental in his hand, and by his 
 Spirit for conversion ; where God is pleased to afford 
 those outward helps and means ; as that we neither 
 do nor may oppose the sufficiency of the Light or Spirit 
 of Christ within to such outward helps or means, so as 
 to reject, disesteem, or undervalue them ; for they all 
 proceed from the same Light and Spirit, and tend to 
 turn men's minds thereunto, and all centre therein. 
 
 Nor can the Holy Scriptures or true preaching with- 
 out, be justly set in opposition to the Light or Spirit of 
 God or Christ within ; for his faithful messengers are 
 ministers thereof, being sent to turn people to the same 
 Light and Spirit in them,* 
 
 • Acts iivi. 18. Rom. xii. 2. 2 Cor. ir.6. 1 Pet. ii. 9. 1 John ii. 8. 
 
 B 2
 
 198 APPENDIX. 
 
 It is certain that great is the mystery of godliness in 
 itself, in its own being and excellency, namely, that God 
 should be and was manifest in the flesh, justified in the 
 spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the gentiles, be- 
 lieved on in the world, and received up into glory. 
 
 And it is a great and precious mystery of godliness and 
 Christianity also, that Christ should be spiritually 
 and edectually in men's hearts, to save and deliver them 
 from sin, satan, and bondage of corruption ; Christ be- 
 ing thus revealed in true believers, and dwelling in 
 their hearts by faith: Christ within the hope of glory, 
 our light and life, who of God is made unto us wisdom, 
 righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, 1 Cor. i. 
 30. And therefore this mystery of godliness, both as 
 in its own being and glory, and also as in men, in many 
 hid and in some revealed, hath been and must be tes- 
 tified, preached, and believed, where God is pleased to 
 give commission and prepare people's hearts for the 
 same, and not in man's will. 
 
 Concerning the resurrection of the dead, and the 
 great day of judgment yet to come, beyond the grave 
 or after death, and Christ's coming without us, to judge 
 the quick and the dead, as divers questions are put in 
 such terms; what the Holy Scriptures plainly declare 
 and testify in these matters, we have great reason to 
 credit and not to question, and have been always ready 
 to embrace with respect to Christ and his apostles' own 
 testimony and prophecies. 
 
 1. For the doctrine of the Resiirreciion. 
 
 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of 
 all men most miserable, 1 Cor. xv. 19. We sincerely 
 believe not only a resurrection in Christ from the fallen 
 sinful state here, but a rising and ascending into glory 
 with llim hereafter ; that when He at last appears we 
 may appear with him in glory. Col. iii. 4. 1 Joh)i iii. 2. 
 But that all the wicked, who live in rebellion against the 
 Light of Grace, and die finally impenitent, shall come 
 forth to the resurrection of condemnation.
 
 CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE. 199 
 
 And that the soul or spirit of every man and woman 
 shall be reserved i[i its own distinct and proper being, 
 so as there shall be as many souls in the world to come 
 as in this ; and every seed, yea every soul, shall have 
 its proper body, as God is pleased to give it, 1 Cor. xv. 
 A natural body is sown, a spiritual body is raised; that 
 being first which is natural, and afterward that which 
 is spiritual. And though it is said this corruptible shall 
 put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on im- 
 mortality ; the change shall be such as flesh and blood 
 cannot inherit the kingdom of God ; neither doth cor- 
 ruption inherit incorruption, 1 Cor. xv. We shall be 
 raised out of all corruption and corruptibility, out of all 
 mortality ; and the children of God and of the resur- 
 rection, shall be equal to the angels of God in heaven.* 
 
 And as the celestial bodies do far excel terrestrial ; 
 so we expect our spiritual bodies in the resurrection shall 
 far excel what our bodies now are ; and we hope none 
 can justly blame us for ihus expecting better bodies 
 than nou^ they are. Howbeit we esteem it very un- 
 necessary to dispute or question how the dead are raised, 
 or with what body they come ; but rather submit that 
 to the wisdom and pleasure of Almighty God. 
 
 2. For the doctrine of Eternal Judgment. 
 
 God hath committed all judgment unto his Son Jesus 
 Christ ; and He is Judge both of quick and dead, and 
 of the states and ends of all mankind, John v. 22. 27. 
 A7,9 x. 42. 2 Tim. iv. 1. 1 Pel. iv. 5. 
 
 That there shall be hereafter a great harvest, which 
 is the end of the world, a great day of judgment, and 
 the judgment of that great day, the Holy Scripture is 
 clear.f When the Son of Man cometh in his glory, and 
 all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon 
 the throne of his glory, and before Him shall be gather- 
 ed all nations, &c. Mat. xxv. 31, 32. to the end, com- 
 pared with chap. xxii. 31. Mark viii. 38. Luke ix. 26. 
 
 * Matthew xxii. 30. Markxii. 25, Luke xx. 36. 
 t Mat. xiii. 39, 40, 41. x. 15. xi. 24. Jude 6. '
 
 200 APPENDIX. 
 
 and 1 Cor. xv. 52. 2 Thes. i. 7, 8. lo the end, and 1 Thes. 
 iv. 16. Rpv.xx. 12, 13, 14, 15. 
 
 That this blessed Heavenly Man, this Son of Man, 
 who hath so deeply suiFercd, and endured so many 
 great indignities and persecutions from his adversaries, 
 both to Himself and his members and brethren, will at 
 last, even in the last and great day, signally and mani- 
 festly appear in glory and triumph, attended with all 
 his glorious heavenly host and retinue, before all na- 
 tions, before all his enemies and those that have denied 
 Him. This will be to their great terror and amaze- 
 ment : that this most glorious Heavenly Man and his 
 brethren, that have been so much contemned and set 
 at nought, should be thus exalted over their enemies 
 and persecutors, in glory and triumph, is a righteous 
 thing with God ; and that they that suffer with Him, 
 should appear with Him in glory and dignity when He 
 thus appears at last. Christ was Judge of the world 
 and the prince thereof, when on earth, John ix. 39. xii. 
 31 ; He is still Judge of the world, the wickedness and 
 prince thereof, by his Light, Spirit, and Gospel in men's 
 hearts and consciences, John xvi. 8. II. Mat. xii. 18. 
 20. Isa. xlii. 1. Rom. ii. IG. 1 Pet. iv. 6; And He will 
 be the judge and final determiner thereof in that great 
 day appointed; God having appointed a day wherein 
 He will Judge the world in righteousness by that Man 
 whom He hath ordained. Christ foretold, it shall be 
 more tolerable for them of the land of Sodom and Go- 
 morrah in the day of judgment, than for that city or 
 people that would not receive his messengers or minis- 
 ters, &c. Mat. X. 15. xi. 24. Mark vi. 11. Luke x. 12. 
 14. It is certain that God knows how to deliver the 
 godly out of all their trials and afflictions, and at last 
 to bring them forth and raise them up into glory with 
 Christ; so He knoweth also how to reserve the unjust 
 and fmally impenitent unto the day of Judgment, to be 
 punished, 2 Pit. ii. 9. He will bring them forth unto 
 the day of destruction, Job xxi. 30. The Lord can and 
 will reserve such impenitent, presumptuous, and rebel-
 
 CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE. 201 
 
 lious criminals, as bound under chains of darkness, as 
 were the fallen angels, unto the judgment of the great 
 day. Jade 6. Mat. xxv. 30. It is not for us to determine 
 or dispute the manner how they shall be so reserved ; 
 but leave it to God : He knows how. 
 
 Touching the opinion of the revolution or transmigra- 
 tion of human souls, or their passing out of one body 
 into another, &c. as it is deemed originally to have 
 sprung from the heathen, and was received among Jews 
 and some others by tradition, and said to be the opin- 
 of Empedocles, Pythagoras, and the Egyptians, and 
 partly of Julian the apostate when he dreamed that the 
 soul of Alexander the Great was crept into his carcass, 
 or rather that he was Alexander himself in another 
 body; and thereupon rejecting the suit of the Persians 
 for peace, presumptously proceeded in the war and to 
 bloodshed against them, until, at unawares, he got his 
 death's wound, according as is more fully related in 
 history; particularly Socrates's Scholasticus, lib. 1. ch. 
 17. and /i;'6. iii. ch. IS. Eccles. Chron. fol. bll. See 
 also Dr. Hammond's Annotations on John ix. 1,2,3. 
 We are not concerned in any such notion, but, as a 
 people are wholly clear of it. 
 
 We deem it neither necessary to faith, nor safe to re- 
 ceive or defend, as either held by those heathen Egyp- 
 tians, or Jews aforesaid ; nor as it is insinuated in a late 
 pamphlet of 200 Queries, concerning the doctrine of the 
 Revolution of Human Souls, supposing twelve revolu- 
 tioi\s or twelve distinct intervals of life to every man, 
 as being twelve several times born into the world ; for 
 each one to live or consummate the space of 1000 years 
 on earth. Though this opinion of such revolution ap- 
 pears not to be a point in present controversy in the 
 book aforesaid, or in Pennsylvania, nor maintained as 
 any Divine opening, revelation, or necessary article of 
 faith, but rather evaded from being publicly controvert- 
 ed ; yet inasmuch as there appears some ground of sus- 
 picion in the case, and as it seems to be favoured impli-
 
 202 APPENDIX. 
 
 citly by some ; therefore that we as a people may not 
 be suspected about it, we sincerely declare our clear- 
 ness from the said opinion, as really esteeming it not 
 safe to propagate or maintain or trouble peoples' heads 
 or minds with it; but that all should improve their 
 present time and mercies. And we are the less con- 
 cerned about the aforesaid queries and doctrine, be- 
 cause we find not any known person or persons of 
 credible authority, that will adventure to assert that 
 opinion, either as divinely revealed or opened, or as 
 necessary to be believed or received as an article of 
 faith, or that will undertake to demonstrate how many 
 times or intervals of life they themselves have lived on 
 earth, and what transactions or remarkable passages, 
 or things good and bad, they have done or passed 
 through in those their supposed past intervals of life.
 
 OHKiSTIAK UOOTRIKH. 203 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 To conclude : As we are persuaded want of walking 
 in the true Light, and want of Christian charity, is the 
 great cause of divisions in professed Christian societies 
 of all sorts, and of this difference among a few persons 
 in America, professing the same Light and Truth with 
 us : we are ashamed of and surprized at the bitter lan- 
 guage and severe consequences and treatment, in some 
 of the printed books from one party, and the exposing 
 of the weaknesses and unwarrantable expressions of 
 some of the other, to the open enemies of both, and of 
 religion itself; all which, as also to make any public 
 rent in a religious society on personal offences or pri- 
 vate occasions, are greatly unbecoming our Christian 
 profession, charity, or Society. 
 
 And we pray God rebuke and stop this troublesome 
 spirit of enmity and division wherever it is ; for it makes 
 great disturbance and trouble in the creation, and 
 where it enters in church or state ; yet its ill work is 
 no new thing. It was the same spirit that infested and 
 troubled the primitive Christian churches, causing divi- 
 sions and offences contrary to the Gospel of peace, at 
 first received, and whereby parties and schisms were 
 made ; and one said I am of Paul, another of ApoUos, 
 another of Cephas ; which carnality the apostle re- 
 proved, as knowing and testifying that Christ, whom 
 they all professed, is not divided. And if Christian 
 tenderness and charity might influence all parties, we 
 see no real cause for these few persons aforesaid to 
 divide or separate outwardly, especially about doctrine, 
 seeing both profess one Light, one Spirit, one God, and
 
 204 APPENDIX. 
 
 one Lord Jesus Christ, and faith in Him, and sincerely 
 to believe the Holy Scriptures. And even the person 
 charging the other in print, professes to "own the body 
 of the people called Quakers, and seems to approve of 
 our ancient, faithful, and generally approved Friends, 
 writers or publishers of our doctrines and principles, 
 and preachers among us generally owned and approved 
 by us, as men of sound judgment and understanding, 
 and as owning the fundamental articles of the Christian 
 and Protestant faith." Thus far the person charging, 
 in his "Serious Appeal," page 6. As also the same 
 person further openly signified at the other Friends' 
 meeting, that " he and his Friends had unity with the 
 most there as to the main. As also with all faithful 
 Friends every where, excepting only some in their 
 meeting that were unsound," &c. — " Reason and 
 Causes,''' page 2G. And therefore, if most on both sides 
 have unity as to the main, we may charitably suppose 
 they do not ditfer in the main or substance of Christian 
 faitli or doctrine before cited, and sincerely owned and 
 confessed by us ; if tenderly and duly considered by 
 both sides, as men seeking peace, love, and concord. 
 Wherefore the dilference was very indiscreetly man- 
 aged, aggravated, and exposed to separation, printing, 
 and reproach, seeing it was not in the main. 
 
 We wholly dislike such rending and tearing, such 
 dividing and aggravating proceedings, and bitter treat- 
 ment, and have no unity therewith; but desire the 
 Lord in mercy to repair the breaches, and heal the 
 backslidings among them, and amongst all that are es- 
 teemed Christian professors and societies, and incline all 
 to the main, to the True Light, to the substance and 
 life of Christianity, to true love, fervent charity, and 
 tender-heartedness, and forgiveness towards one ano- 
 ther, and to follow peace with all men, and holiness ; 
 without which no man shall see the Lord.
 
 OHRISTIArf DOCTRINE. 205 
 
 A POSTSCRIPT, 
 
 RELATIPTG TO THE DOCTRIIVE OF THE RESURREOTIOti 
 AND ETERNAL JUDGMENT. 
 
 At the last trump of God, and voice of the archan- 
 gel, the dead shall be raised incorruptible ; the dead 
 in Christ shall rise first, 1 Cot: xv. 52. 1 Thes. iv. 16, 
 compared with Mat. xxiv. 31. 
 
 Many are often alarmed in conscience here by the 
 Word and Voice of God, who stop their ears and slight 
 those warnings ; but the great and final alarm of the 
 last trumpet, they cannot stop their ears against nor 
 escape : it will unavoidably seize upon, and further 
 awaken them finally to judgment. They that will not 
 be alarmed in their consciences unto repentance, nor 
 out of their sins here, must certainly be alarmed to 
 judgment hereafter. 
 
 Whosoever do now wilfully shut their eyes, hate, con- 
 temn or shun the Light of Christ, or his appearance 
 within, shall at last be made to see, and not be able to 
 shun or hide themselves from his glorious and dreadful 
 appearance from Heaven with his mighty angels, as 
 with lightning and in flaming fire, to render vengeance 
 on all them that know not God, and obey not the Gos- 
 pel of our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Thes. i. 8. Mat. xxiv. 
 27. Luke xvii. 24. Dan. vii. 9, 10. Job xxxvii. 3. 
 
 And though many now evade and reject the inward 
 convictions and judgment of the Light, and shut up the 
 records or books thereof in their own consciences, they 
 shall all be at last opened, and every one judged oi 
 
 VOL. II. s
 
 206 APPENDIX. 
 
 these things recorded therein, according to their works, 
 Rev. XX. 12, ]3, 14,15. 
 
 Signed in behalf of our Christian Profession and 
 People aforesaid ; 
 
 George Whitehead, 
 Ambrose Rigg, 
 William Fallowfield, 
 James Parke, 
 Charles Marshall, 
 John Bowater, 
 John Vaughton, 
 William Bingley. 
 
 FINIS.
 
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